


Sideburns, Cravats and Second Chances

by tauriel777



Category: Actor RPF, British Actor RPF, Richard Armitage - Fandom, The Hobbit RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-20
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-05-01 16:50:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 148,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5213483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tauriel777/pseuds/tauriel777
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Richard returns to London after finishing the Hobbit. He feels successful with work, but his private life is lonely and not going anywhere. He decides to do the sequel to North and South: it could change his life, if he can win her heart and those of her kids......<br/>Romance, fluff and eventually some (hopefully) good smut!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As always, I owe nothing and this is just my imagination running wild!

Richard is sitting in his house, on the couch in the library, flipping through the script and making notes. He pauses for a minute to take another sip of tea and he looks around his space and he finds it almost too quiet. He returned from New Zealand a few weeks ago and finally feels back on British time. It has been an incredible experience and he had loved every minute of it and the work had been very fulfilling.

Towards the end of filming his agent had called, wanting to discuss a possible return to "North and South" and to John Thornton. His initial reaction was a loud no, but had agreed to read the script and had been sold the minute he sat down to read it. He was taken by the continuation of the love story, how Margaret and John finally marry and their new life together. Yes, he sees himself as a moody, rather anti social person, but deep down he is a romantic and believes in love.

Love. He sits a little straighter on the couch and thinks about that for a minute, but it frankly makes his heart ache and the loneliness creeps in as well. He had thought he would have been married by now with a few kids on his own, but life has not given him that and he is starting to wonder if he will ever have that. Kids, that is. He would love to be a dad, but so far, the women he has dated just haven't been good wife or mother material.

He thought it was going to happen with the last girlfriend he had, one he met in New Zealand and dated for quite a while, but when he brought up the subject to her, she looked mortified and told him, she was way too young and wanted to do other things, before committing to him and motherhood. She had left him licking his wounds as she flew back to America and her career as a talented artist and seamstress. Ouch.

He sighs, glancing at his watch and getting up, putting his tea cup in the kitchen and then grabbing his shoulder bag, heading out the door to the first meeting for "North and South" at BBC studios.

 

A little later:

I am pulling into the the parking lot of BBC, waving to the guard and drive down, looking for an empty spot, not always easy to find. I find one and pull in, grab my purse and then smiles when I get out, noticing a car parked a couple of spots further down, identical to mine. I am curious, peaking in it, but nothing inside gives away who might own it. I know I haven't seen it here before in the 4 years I have worked here.

Looking at my phone, I breathe a sigh of relief, at least I am running early today, which is quite amazing when you have to get 2 kids off to school before getting here. My cowboy boots make a distinct sound as I walk over the pavement and in the door, making my way down the hall, saying hi to a few people and then into our work room, my space and where most of the costumes for all BBC's productions are made. I am a trained designer and seamstress, but never really did anything with my degree after graduation, I was too busy being a wife and a mother, establishing our lives here in England, but when I was approached by a friend about coming to work here, I accepted. Now I am so glad I did, after all that has happened to me over the last 4 years and I love what I do.

This place is like it's own little world and it is always interesting coming to work because the kind of clothes we have to make changes, depending on what kind of show BBC is producing at the moment, actually, it is usually several. Right now we have been busy getting ready to make an extensive wardrobe for "North & South", I loved the original mini series and I am thrilled to get to work on this one. Elaborate and detailed dressed are right up my ally, I love it.

Today is a big day since the actors are coming in for the first time, so we can discuss costumes with them, get them properly fitted. We receive measurements before, but there is nothing that compare to actually having the actor here, seeing how things really fit and fabrics can make or brake a costume.

Ellen is in charge of it all and has worked here for a long time, she is a very skilled and smart woman, she knows her stuff and there is no none sense about her, which I love. She took me under her wing and we have become close, she is almost like a second mother to me and was there for me when my life fell apart 3 years ago. My kids adore her and love to come here to visit.

She is standing over by a bust, carefully pinning lace around the collar of an ivory colored gown. She looks up and smiles "morning, Lauren......got the kids off alright?".

I dump my purse on my desk and comes over to help her "morning, Ellen....yeah, I did and even had time to spare, I guess you count the little things once in a while".

She laughs "aint that the truth" and we finish pinning the lace and she steps back "wow, you did an outstanding job on Margaret's wedding gown, I just love how the layers of the skirt drapes and that neckline is beautiful and with those sleeves, the way they fold over each other. Well done".

I beam "thank you, that is very kind of you to say that" and I touch the fabric.

"There is nothing kind about it, my dear....it is the truth" and she gives me a serious look "you could open your own bridal shop and become very successful designing wedding gowns".

"Yeah and never have a life or time for my kids, no thanks" and I straighten the skirt "I hope Daniela loves it".

"Oh, she will.....you know her, she is such a sweetie".

I nod "yes, she is.....I'm excited to see her, haven't seen her for a few months, since she came in when she did that other show".

Ellen smiles "and the rest of the returning cast is delightful too, Brendan that plays Higgings is such a charming fellow and Sinead is so fun, which is interesting, since she is so stiff and proper as Thornton's mom" and Ellen gives me a dreamy look "and then we of course have Mr. Thornton himself, Richard Armitage.....he is gorgeous, kind and utterly charming too. Have you met him?".

Shaking my head, I look at her "no, he was done here with his last series before I got hired on, but everyone here seems to speak very highly of him and of course Elliott thinks the world of him, ever since he saw him as Thorin in the first two Hobbit movies".

"Richard is one of the nicest people you will ever meet and he is a bit shy, which is surprising, given the roles he has played".

"Well, I can't wait to meet everyone, it is always fun to see your creations on real people".

Ellen agrees and we continue to work on costumes, looking at sketches and talking to the rest of the big team here. There is loud talking coming from the hall and a knock on the door, one of the producers peaks his head in "Ellen, is now a good time, can they all come in?".

She puts down the piece of fabric she was holding and I fold it on the table, following her as she winks him in "of course, Bryan....bring in the lot" and 10 people file in and Bryan turns to them "of course most of you are very familiar with this place and Ellen and her team....Ellen?".

Ellen steps up, I wave to Daniela and Brendan, who blows me kisses and I blush and I feel someone else looking at me, I glance over and are met with the most piercing blue eyes from across the table. Richard realizes I caught him, so he looks at Ellen, listening to her "Welcome everyone...we are so excited to get to work on this project with you, this is any wardrobe departments dream, to create these amazing period pieces. I think most of you know us pretty well, so lets get on with it. You are each assigned to one person, that will show you sketches and have you try on a least one costume today, so when your name is called, please follow that person, he or she will take good care of you. I'm Ellen and if you have any concerns please ask me or my right hand gal, Lauren Roberts over there" and she points to me and I give a slight wave.

Names are being called out by Ellen and people start filing to different areas. "Brandan, you go with Peter over there" and he runs over to me, giving me a kiss on the cheek "darn, I was really hoping, but it is good to see you, darling" and I grin as he trots off, catching Richard watching us again.

"Richard, you come with me and Daniela, you get the queen of all dresses, Lauren".

Daniel and I embrace and she smiles "I'm so excited I get to work with you again, how are you?".

"I'm good and you?".

"Good" and she looks me up and down "you look fabulous".

"Thanks, I think....been trying to hit the gym and take better care of myself, it is easier now both kiddos are in school".

"I bet" and she follows me and I point to the bust by my desk "your wedding gown, my lady".

Daniela squeals and half the room looks over "oh my gosh, it is stunning, love it" and she walks around it "wow...it is gorgeous". She looks over at Ellen and Richard and motions for him to come over "hey Rich....come look at what your bride will be wearing".

He smiles and comes over with Ellen in tow "that is beautiful, Dani".

Ellen interjects "Richard, I don't believe you have met Lauren Roberts, she is second in command here".

"Lauren, please meet Richard Armitage".

We shake hands, his hand is big and warm and our eyes meet, he really has the prettiest blue eyes "how do you do, Lauren? So nice to meet you, I have heard a lot about you".

I feel the heat from his palm and try not to get lost in his eyes and that smile "nice to meet you too, Richard.....loved you in this the first go around and we are big Hobbit fans at our house".

He blushes slightly, which is adorable "thank you" and he reluctantly lets go of my hand "you are American...".

"Well yeah, is that is crime around here?".

His eyes shoots up and he gives me a mortified look "no...I'm sorry if I offen...".

I cut his off "I'm messing with you, Richard.....it's totally fine, but yes, I'm a Yankee and proud of it".

He lets out a relieved laugh and lifts a finger at me "very good, you almost got me".

I give him a warm smile, which he returns.

Ellen clears her throat and Richard turns his attention back to her, following her back to her area.

Daniela leans close "what was that all about?".

I look at her confused "what are you talking about?".

She gestures "that.....between you and Rich?".

"Don't know what you are talking about.....I just felt like giving him a hard time about his surprise at me being American".

She looks at me "I guess he didn't look at your clothes, those jeans and boots about give you away".

"I guess, but this is my comfortable work clothes, you know....I hate the pant suit look, too formal for me".

"Whatever floats your boat, Lauren, but I think you have peaked Rich's interest, he looked at you like a lovesick puppy dog".

I roll my eyes "whatever, Dani....he is a movie star and famous actor, I am just a BBC employee and besides, I have two kids, which seems to turn most men off right away. They are interested enough until I mention Elliott and Emma, then they all of a sudden loose interest".

She puts a hand on my arm "well, you haven't met the right man yet, I think.....you are beautiful and your kids are darling" and she takes a breath and nods in Richard's direction "and as for as he is concerned, he is more the anti movie star if there ever was one, he is one of the most humble and down to earth people I have ever met".

"Well, good for him, I guess, but I am sure he is not interested and I think at least half of Britain would like to be his next girlfriend".

She laughs "probably" and we go on talking about her costumes and I show her sketches.

I undo the zipper on the dress on the bust "I want you to go try it on" and help her into one of the dressing rooms on the side.

Ellen is waiting for Richard to step out and when he does, it is like Thornton just came alive, he has grown his hair out and shaved his beard with the distinct sideburns. He is wearing a very rich looking costume, his wedding attire. Ellen beams "oh Richard, that looks great. How does it feel?".

He looks at her "good, did you go by the old measurements you had for me?".

"Yes, is it too tight?" and she gets close, seeing how it really fits, opening his jacket "looks a little snug to me".

He gives her a shy smile "maybe a tad, I hate to admit it, but I think I am fatter than I was 10 years ago".

"None sense, Rich...I think you just got bulkier" and she marks the shirt with some pink chalk before buttoning the jacket "I'll fix it so you can breathe".

He gives her a grin "that would be nice, thank you".

Daniela comes out and I go over and finish zipping up her back, it has a hidden zipper in the back, but the illusion of being closed by tiny buttons. She turns around and smiles "it is just gorgeous, Lauren..... I wish I was really getting married again......".

"I'm so glad you love it" and I must admit, the dress looks even better on someone.

Richard comes over and stands next to her, they make a beautiful bride and groom. 

Ellen and I discuss colors and I point to Richard's cravat "I don't quite like it with the ivory of her gown, it just looks dirty". She agrees "you are right...maybe something blue instead" and she looks at Richard "oh my gosh, your hat......so sorry, let me go get it".

I motion for Richard "come with me, I'm going to try a different color for that cravat" and he walks next to me over to the samples table. I look over the colors and grab one. He unties the cravat and hands it to me, our fingers brushing briefly against each other. I do my best to ignore it. I hand him the new color and he puts it on and I reach for it, to finish tying it for him. Our fingers touch again and he mumbles "sorry". I just give him a smile "there, I think that is better" and I points to a mirror "thoughts?".

He goes over and looks, turning to me "it's brilliant" and I feel weak in my knees as he looks at me, the color makes his eyes stand out even more.

Ellen comes rushing back in with the top hat and he puts it on, going over to stand next to Daniela again. Ellen looks mighty pleased "yes, so much better, that blue".

Daniela looks at Richard and smiles "you look very handsome and that cravat color brings out your eyes even more, Rich......the eyes that melt panties right off".

He turns a deep shade of pink when she says that and clears his throat, but she just hits his arm and starts to laugh "well, it's the truth". He shakes his head and looks very shy.

We take several pictures to sent to the production team and the director before we let them go change back into their street clothes. Everyone wraps up their fittings and they are free to go on to the next step on their agenda for today.

Daniela hugs me "thank you so much, Lauren".

"You are welcome".

Richard kisses Ellen's cheeks and says in that deep baritone voice "thank you so much" and he comes over to shake my hand "thank you, Lauren".

I give him a smile "your welcome, anytime" and with that, they all leave.

We put our stuff away and it is lunchtime. I head to the cafeteria at BBC along with a bunch of my colleagues. I notice most of the cast is sitting at a couple of tables in the corner, Richard is seated next to Brendan. The food is always good here and it is so much faster than trying to go out and fighting traffic.

Richard notices me come in and can't help but stare.

Brendan raises an eyebrow and follows his gaze "she is pretty isn't she? You should go for it".

Richard realizes he is being talked to "what? Sorry, spaced out there for a minute...".

Brendan laughs "yeah, you were practically drooling, Rich" and he motions towards where we are standing "I don't blame you, she is gorgeous? You should go for it".

He gets a disgusted look from Richard "Brendan, I don't chase after married women!".

"Lauren is not married".

Richard gestures "but she said something about *our house* when we were introduced".

"Yeah, her and her two kids' home" and Brendan looks over at us, we have now gotten seated "she has a boy and a girl".

"She is divorced?" and Richard mumbles to himself "what the hell is wrong with her ex husband, is he blind?".

Brendan laughs "I heard that" and Richard turns red, listening to Brendan as he continues "no, and it was her husband, he died" and Richard's eyes shoot up "what?".

"Yeah, it was all very sad.....he got cancer and passed away 3 years ago.....I was working on another series here when it happened, it was so quick" and he glances back over at me "Lauren is an amazing woman and a good mum to those two kids of hers".

Richard "how old are they?".

"Elliott is 8 and Emma is 5, nice, nice kids".

Richard thinks for a minute "so they were little when her husband died then? Wow...".

Brendan looks at him "I told you she is one tough cookie" and he wiggles an eyebrow "maybe worth pursuing?".

Richard looks gloomy "I doubt she would even consider it.....I'm a moody, old, grumpy man compared to her".

"Whatever, Rich and she is close to 40, I think...so not that much younger than you, turning 43, right?".

He nods "yeah...I'm afraid".

"Don't be so depressed about it.....you are still closer to 40 than 50" and he motions towards us "so are you going to ask her out?".

"I don't know....I'll have to see how it goes and work on my courage".

Brendan smirks "don't wait too long......plenty of lads in this place would love to take her out".

"I bet" and Richard gets lost in thought again, glancing over at our table several more times.

The rest of the day is filled with readings and more discussions with the director.

Richard is finally free to go home and heads out to his car, hitting the button before he even gets there, hearing it unlock and then goes over to open the door, but it wont open. He tries the handle again, still nothing. He kicks the tire and hears a kid's voice "Mum! There is a man here and he is kicking our car".

He looks up at the boy and I come over, holding Emma's hand "why are you kicking my car?". Richard gestures "this is my car".

I hold up my keys and unlock it and peak through the dark, tinted window "do you usually drive around with kids car seats in the back? I didn't think you had kids".

"I don't" and he looks in the back too and then at me, all confused "what the hell?".

I laugh and point a couple of spots further down "I think that is your car...I noticed it this morning when I came in and was wondering who owned the same car as me".

He looks embarrassed "so sorry" and he bends down to look at my tire rim and I try really hard not to stare at how those jeans hug his behind perfectly. Damn. He gets back up "I don't think I did any damage".

The kids are staring at him and I introduce them "this is Elliott and Emma.....guys, please say hi to Richard, he is mum's friend and in one of the shows we are working on right now".

Richard puts out his hand and Emma beams at him, shaking it "nice to meet you, mister". Richard crouches down to her level "it is nice to meet you too, Emma". She giggles and blurts out "you have very pretty eyes".

"Thank you" and he smiles at her.

Elliott is still staring at him and he finally says in awe "you are Thorin Oakenshield aren't you?".

Richard turns to him and shakes his hand "yes, I played Thorin".

"That is totally awesome, I love those movies" and Elliott turns to me "why didn't you tell me, mum?".

"Because I hadn't gotten around to it". 

Elliott turns back to Richard and starts asking him all kinds of questions about the movies and I am about to interrupt, but Richard holds up his hand and nods, letting me know it is okay.

I give him a smile and open the door for Emma, getting her buckled in her seat. I closet the door and Elliott is still talking Richard's ear off and I put a hand on his shoulder "okay, Mr. Roberts.....time to let Richard go for today, I'm sure you will see him again soon".

"When?".

"I don't know, sweetie, but since you get dropped off here every day after school by your nanny, you will see him around".

Richard looks at Elliott "I'll see you soon, I promise and it was very nice talking to you and meeting you".

Elliott grins "nice to meet you too, this is so cool" and he shakes his hand before getting in the car.

Richard looks at me "they are lovely".

I nod "yes, they are, even though they drive me crazy sometimes".

He laughs "I can imagine".

I smile "thanks for being so kind to them, means a lot to me" and I glance at the clock "oh gosh, I gotta run....Emma has a dance class".

He walks over to my door and opens it "my pleasure" and he gives me a longing look right before I get in "see you tomorrow".

I touch his hand resting on top of my car door, feeling the heat from his fingers "yeah, see you tomorrow.....have a good night, Richard".

"You too, Lauren" and he waves to the kids "be good for your mum" and he closes my door.

He watches as we back out and I give him a final wave as we drive off.

Richard stands there for a second and then wanders over to his car, getting in and letting out a sigh, wondering if he just got hit over the head with a hammer. 

 


	2. Chapter 2

It has been a few days and I haven't seen Richard since, but his car is parked close by mine every morning when I get in. They haven't started filming yet, but there is so much that has to get done before you even get to that point. I know they have started to rehearse and looking a locations etc. I really had no idea how much prep goes into the making of a movie or TV show before I started to work here.

We have been busy making more costumes and Bryan, the director peaks his head in "Lauren, can I talk to you for a minute?".

"Yeah, come on in" and I get up from my cutting table "what can I do for you?".

He scratches his head "well, we are planning the finer details of the wedding scene and we need a ring bearer and a flower girl, so Dani suggested we ask if you would let Elliott and Emma be it? And if you think they would do it, they don't have any lines".

I smile "of course I would and I am sure they would do it, they would be excited".

"That's great, thank you" and he adds "we would just need them for one afternoon, so they shouldn't miss too much school".

"Okay....I'm not worried about that, they are doing well".

"One more thing......can you be a wedding guest?".

"What? You mean dress up for the show?".

He nods "yeah, we need a few more wealthy looking ladies on the pews".

"I guess, but not sure how I will look in a period dress".

"You'll look fab. It was Brendan that suggested that one....." and he wiggles an eyebrow "Richard seemed to agree".

"Did he now?".

"Uhu......".

"Whatever, Bryan" and I let it go. He gives me a few more details and leaves.

I work for a little while longer before my stomach makes a rumble and I glance at my watch, I guess it is lunch time. Ellen is out buying some fabric we might need and everyone else have either already gone to lunch or are busy working on their own project. I grab my purse and head out, up the stairs to the cafeteria, selecting a chicken salad today for lunch and finding a table over by the windows, giving a nice view of the outskirts of London.

I get out my phone and scroll the news for a few minutes and then sent a quick email to my folks, I miss them a lot and sometimes wonder if I should have moved back home. I am interrupted by that baritone voice "care to have company?".

I look up and Richard is standing there with his tray, looking casual in jeans, a vintage t-shirt and a Belstaff jacket. I motions "sure, make yourself comfortable".

He puts the tray down and sits across from me "thanks".

"Where is everyone else today?" and I look for the rest of the cast.

"Ohhh, they had other places they needed to be.....we are done for today, but I thought I would just eat lunch here" and he gives me a funny look "sometimes it is easier than cooking at home....when you are just one person".

"I know what that is like, Richard.....Emma and Elliott go to their grandparents every Friday night for a sleepover, so I am by myself and I just end up either eating cereal or getting something to go".

He looks surprised "your parents live here too?".

I shake my head "no, no.....it is my husbands parents, he...".

He lifts his hand "I know....Brendan told me" and he gives me a sincere look "I'm very sorry for your loss, I can't even imagine....".

"It's okay....it was several years ago and it does get easier with time. So his parents take the kids to spent time with them and give me a break, they are wonderful, I feel very lucky". I look at our food "anyway.....so I know what it is like to try and cook for one and it is not very fun".

Richard grabs his sandwich, but puts it down to keep talking with his hands, which I find endearing "exactly..." and his eyes meet mine "so how is your day going?".

"Pretty good....busy getting patterns cut and made" and I take a bite of my salad and he bites into his sandwich, both of us chewing.

We speak again at the same time "how are/what have.." and we both laugh and I point my fork at him "sorry, go ahead..".

He gestures "no, you go ahead, what were you going to say?".

I get the feeling he wont let me win that argument, so I continue "I was just going to ask how your day went...you guys got done early".

"Yeah, we did....just rehearsed a little and talked about a couple of scenes".

"Good for you, I can't remember the last time we got done early" and I smile "it's okay though, I love what I do, so no complaints here. Anyway, what were you going to say before I interrupted you?".

"I was just going to ask how Elliott and Emma are?".

"They are good, but holy cow, Elliott wont stop talking about you and keeps asking when he will see you again. You made his day by just talking to him, so thank you".

He gives me a little smile "your welcome, anytime. Hopefully I didn't make your late for dance class?".

"No, it was fine...it just gets crazy sometimes after work, she has dance and Elliott does karate two times a week and they have riding lessons on Saturday".

He chews another bite of his sandwich "that sounds busy, but I guess that is most families these days. Do you ride too?". 

I nod "yeah, I grew up on a horse farm in Kentucky, my parents breed Arabian horses and show them".

"Really? I love to ride, but hardly ever have time for it. I did ride a bit in New Zealand, so that was nice".

"I bet it was" and I eat more salad and keep talking "you should try this stable we go to, it is just off one of the motorways. They do lessons or you can just rent a horse, I'll give you the number if you are interested".

He looks pleased "that would be brilliant, thank you".

We sit and talk for a while longer, just about life. I find him easy to talk to and he is very charming. I kind of don't want it to end, but I have stuff to get done. He gets up, taking both of our trays and put them away and he walks me back to the door, outside the costume room. 

I turn to him "thanks for keeping me company, I had a nice time".

He leans his arm against the wall and gives me a smile "me too, Lauren, thank you" and he hesitates, before he continues "what time do the kids get here?".

"Usually at 3 pm. Why?".

"If you don't mind, I'll come back and say hi to Elliott since he was asking about it".

"Rich...I mean Richard... you don't have to do that, I'm sure you have better things to do" and I gesture wildly with my hands.

He grabs one of my hands, looking a little hesitant, but I don't pull away from him "it's fine..not a big deal. I'm going to go find a quiet place, like the reading room and study the script" and he sees I am about to protest further "Lauren, it is fine, really" and I notice a hint of sadness wash over his beautiful features "I really don't have anything better to do. To be honest, my house feels a little quiet at the moment".

I look at my hand, the one he is still holding and say quietly "if you insist".

He smirks "I do" and right before he lets go of my hand, he gives it a light tug "by the way, Rich is just fine....that is what my friends call me".

"Rich it is then".

"Thanks, Lauren......I'll be back in a bit".

I nod and say quietly "ok, bye, Rich...happy reading".

He smiles and then walks off, glancing back once.

I sigh deeply and slowly make my way back to work.

 

Several hours later:

I am carefully laying out the blue fabric on the table, making sure the edges line up and then pinning them together. I love this fabric and I am kind of excited, I get to work on the dress I will wear as a wedding guest. I move my head from side to side, my neck feels stiff from holding still and concentrating for so long.

The door busts open and Emma and Elliott come running in. Elliott is loud "Mum!" but then lowers his voice, remembering there are other people here too "sorry...but Mum, did you see Richard today?".

I nod and put the pins down for a second, hugging them both "yes, I did".

He looks so excited "really? Did he say when he would come see me again, mum? I really would like to talk to him again, mum...he is so nice".

I laugh at his enthusiasm "yes, Richard is a very nice man and yes, he actually said he would come say hi today when you guys got here".

Elliott jumps into the air "YES!" and then looks around "sorry" and he trots over to my desk, taking out his homework and starts to do it.

Emma tugs on my leg and I crouch down "yes, pumpkin?".

"Can...can I show Richard my painting from art?".

"Yes, you may, honey..." and I walk her over to my desk, handing her my iPad, so she can do a letter game for a little while. She crawls up on the extra chair and I look at them both "now listen guys" and they look up "we are not going to keep Richard for too long, okay? He has things to do and mom has a headache and is a bit tired". They both nod and return to their tasks.

I get back to pinning the dress together and Richard comes walking in, carrying a couple of cups from Starbucks. He gives me a smile and hands me one "here....it's black, didn't know what you wanted" and he empties his pocket in his jacket, giving me a couple of sugar packets and creamer "I thought you might need it".

"You are a life saver, thank you, Rich" and I gratefully take the cup, touching his arm "that was very thoughtful and sugar and a hint of creme is great".

"Richard!" and Elliott runs over and throws his arms around him. Richard freezes in his tracks, looking stunned for a second, but then hugs him back, giving me a nervous look "hey Elliott, how are you buddy?". I just smile at him, taking a sip of my coffee.

"I'm great now you are here, I'm excited you came by".

"Me too" and he feels someone pull on his leg and looks down, seeing Emma holding up a piece of paper to him "hey Emma, how are you today?".

"I'm good. Want to see my painting?".

"Sure" and he takes the paper from her, looking at it and I have to hide a laugh, because it is just a bunch of colors, randomly arranged on the paper. He is trying to figure what is up an down, but finally gives up and bends down "that is very nice, Emma.....can you tell me what it is?".

"Sure" and she takes his hand, dragging him over to my desk and points to the chair "sit" and then adds "please".

Richard gives me a look and then does as he is told "yes ma'm" and she indicates she wants to sit on his lap, so he lift her up and she proceeds to explain to him that it is a painting of our house in the spring with flowers. Richard is paying attention to every word and I can't help but watch them, my heart melting a little seeing how cute he is with her.

They talk about it for a bit longer and Elliott is tapping his foot and Richard looks at him and then gently lifts Emma down "thank you for sharing that painting with me, it is very beautiful. If you will excuse me for a moment, I need to go chat with your brother".

She smile up at him "okay and thanks for looking at it" and she looks at Elliott "now remember Momma said not to keep Richard very long and her head hurts".

Richard turns around to me "what's the matter, Lauren? You ok?".

I wave a hand "yeah..I'm fine, just have a headache and a stiff neck, but the coffee is helping, thank you......I really need to finish this today".

"You sure?".

"Yes, I'm sure, Rich....it's fine".

He turns back to Elliott and they sit down and have a long chat, Elliott picking his brain about the Hobbit.

Emma comes over "can I help you, Mom?".

I lift her up on the table "yes, you can......hand me one pin at a time, so we can get this dress put together".

We work on it for a while and I listen to Richard patiently answering every question from Elliott.

Emma finally exclaims "all done!".

I stretch and hear several bones pop in my neck and back. Richard walks over "that didn't sound too good".

Shrugging it off, I give him a smile "it's nothing, it is just me getting old and falling apart".

He crooks an eyebrow "yeah right.......then what am I doing? I think I'm at least 10 years older than you".

"I don't know how old you are, but I know you are not 50".

"You are 40?" and he looks surprised.

"Well, yeah....and gosh you make it sound so dreadful".

He looks down before meeting my gaze "sorry, I didn't mean it that way and I will be 43 in a couple of weeks, so I am falling apart more than you".

I snort "I doubt it" and he gives me a smile. I put my pins down and Emma runs over to her backpack "come on, let's go home...I want to go play with Hammy".

Richard goes back and helps Elliott put his stuff in his bag and looks at Emma "who's Hammy?".

She bats her eyes at him "oh my hamster, he looks like a cow with black spots, but he is really a hamster. Want to come meet him?".

Richard glances at me, but I am busy gathering my stuff "maybe some other time, Emma, I think your mum is beat tonight" and he reaches to help her put the iPad back in the sleeve "but I'll walk you to your car".

We finally have all our things and I wave to Ellen, still sewing away "Night, Ellen.....see you tomorrow".

She smiles big and waves "night, Lauren....kids.....Richard....have a good night" and we walk out of there.

Richard walks up to me and takes my bag "here, let me carry that....".

"Thanks....but I'm fine" and then hand it over to him when he crooks an eyebrow at me.

We get to the car and I pop the trunk and everything gets dumped in there. Elliott holds out his hand to Richard "thanks for talking to me tonight, you are awesome".

Richard takes his hand and pats him on the back "my pleasure, you are a good kid....I'll see you around".

Elliott beams "I hope so" and he gets in the car.

Emma is getting tired and whines, so I pick her up and hold her "I know, pumpkin, you are tired....let's go home" and I turn to face Richard "say bye to Rich".

She looks at me "Mom, his name is Richard" and she holds out her little arms for a hug and says cheerfully "bye, Richard....thanks for looking at my art today".

He is a little hesitant, but finally steps closer so he can give her a hug, which means his face ends up pretty close to mine. We lock eyes for a second and I blush. He reaches out and softly touches my chin, whispering "Night, Lauren.....thanks".

I fight the urge to lean into his hand, but put my hand out, taking hold of his other one, our fingers wrapping around each other for a brief second "night, Rich...and I am the one thanking you".

He looks at me and smiles and then at Emma, his eyes going a little wide "she is asleep".

"Oh great...I think she was tired, too much excitement sometimes" and he holds the door for me so I can put her in the car seat, she hardly stirs.

I stand back up and he closes the door, walking up to my door, opening it and I get in. He leans on the door frame for a minute "drive safe home....I'll catch you tomorrow.....maybe for lunch?".

I smile "sure, same time?". 

He nods "deal".

"Okay, see you then...bye" and he closes my door and waves as I drive off.

Richard slowly walks to his car, deep in thought and trying to reel in all his emotions. He knows he is falling, but not quite sure what to do with it or handle it. He drives home, feeling a bit giddy and also utterly terrified.

   


	3. Chapter 3

A week later:

I am sitting in a makeup chair as my hair is styled into a very complicated updo with ribbons and a couple of crystal brooches. After that, my makeup is carefully applied and it gives me a little time to think about the last week's happenings. I have seen Richard almost every day, he has sought me out for lunch or stopped by after his day was over, just to chat and say hi to the kids. I have no idea where this is going, but right now I am just enjoying his friendship, he is a nice guy to be around and the kids seem disappointed the days he hasn't stopped by, so I have had to remind them that Richard is a busy man.

We are on location today at a little village church, to shoot the wedding scene between Margaret and John. We have been able to borrow some rooms at the school next door for costume and makeup. I get done and walk in the room set up for the women's dressing room and Emma is already running around in her pretty little period dress, it is a dusty rose with green ribbons and some lace. They have done ringlets in her hair and pulled it back with a sparkling butterfly clip. She beams up at me "oh mom, I love your hair, you look very pretty".

I give her a hug "thank you, sweetie and you look like a little princess".

She grins and Daniela comes in, ready to get in her dress and she exclaims "Emma! You look beautiful".

"Thank you" and she twirls around the room and I have to reel her in a bit "sweetie, settle down, please....don't want you to fall in that pretty dress and get hurt".

I pull the wedding dress off the rack and hold it out "okay, here we go" and Daniela steps in it and I help her zip it up "does it feel ok?".

"Wonderful, it fits like a glove and I just love it" and she gives me a smile.

"Thank you" and I straighten the hem "I think you are good to go".

"Thanks" and Daniela touches my arm "how is it going with Rich?".

I blush "good....", I hesitate for a minute "I don't know, we are just friends.....he is really nice to talk to and he is so kind to the kids".

She smirks "friends my arse, Lauren.....he really, really likes you and I think he has more than friendship on his mind at this point".

"I don't know and I am not getting my hopes up" and I look at my hands "I think maybe I have given up on actually dating anyone seriously ever again......I haven't exactly been lucky".

Daniela snorts "well, Steve just wanted a quick fuck.....sorry, it is the truth, he took advantage of you being lonely and wanting to get back out on the dating scene. Tom was okay, but way too selfish for you and the kids, he wanted you, but I saw the way he looked at the kids when he came in a few times and yikes".

I nod "You hit the nail on the head, so needless to say....not really holding out any hope".

"I wouldn't be so sure. The way Rich looks at you and Ellen told me how sweet he is with the kids......I think everyone have noticed that and also seen how he can't keep his eyes off you whenever you are in the same room".

Shrugging, I go pull my dress down "I don't know......" and then I get a goofy look on my face "but he is wonderful with Emma and Elliott and there is no dispute he is gorgeous".

She grins "yes he is" and she holds out her hands to help with my dress "can I give you a hand"?

"I guess, but you are the star of this show, you are not suppose to be helping the extras".

"Nonsense.....I don't mind" and she opens it up, so I can step in it as soon as I take my pants and shirt off. I put my boots back on and she just shakes her head as I give her a grin.

I step in the dress and Daniela zips up the back and I take a deep breath in as she closes it, trying to adjust my torso to the tight fit. She walks a few feet away from me and looks and I sound nervous "is it bad?".

She smirks "no, it is absolutely stunning, Lauren.....I think Rich might faint when he sees you" and she points to my front "that might be a bit too much for him to handle".

I look down my cleavage "this?" and I pull the dress up a little bit "better?".

She laughs "a little, but unless he is blind, he can imagine the rest".

Rolling my eyes, I let out a huff "whatever.....are you suppose to be able to breathe in these dresses?".

Ellen peaks around from another extra she is helping "that would be a big fat no, Lauren".

"Well fabulous.....then I guess I am good".

Emma comes back from visiting everyone else in the room and yells loudly "Oh mom, you look like a queen" and she turns to Daniela "I love your dress too".

We both laugh and then struggle out the door, trying to keep the skirts from catching on the door frame. "Emma, come on, lets go find your brother and make sure he is ready".

She skips down the hall "Okay! I think he is in the boys dressing room", but he is not there, according to a few people coming out.

Daniela sees me worry "Don't freak, they would keep an eye on him...they would not just let him wander off".

We walk out of the school and across the yard to the church. The crew is setting up outside and there is a few people gathered on the grass a little further down from the door. 

 

At the same time: 

Richard is standing on the grass talking to Brendan and keeping an eye on Elliott as he runs around with a couple of other boys. He keeps a watchful eye on him and yells out when they venture a little too far away "Elliott, get back here please......you need to stay here, so you mum can find you when she gets done dressing".

Elliott comes back over "sorry" and he gives Richard an apologetic look.

Richard ruffles Elliott's hair a bit "it's okay...just stay close by, don't want your mum to worry where you run off to".

Brendan has been watching and then clears his throat, putting a hand on Richard's shoulder "you would make a great dad, Rich". Richard blushes and looks down and then at Elliott as he runs off, but doesn't say anything. Brendan continues "so.....have you asked Lauren out yet?".

Richard stares at his hands for a minute and finally meets Brendan's gaze "uhmmm...no....I don't know if I should.....I don't know if she would be interested".

"I think she would be, very much so or are you not interested in her? I know you are a damn fine actor, but I doubt those longing looks you keep giving her is a performance or am I wrong?".

"No, you are not....I think she is very attractive and I would like to ask her, but I don't know.....not sure if she is even thinking about dating anyone".

Brendan gives him a serious look "I think she would consider it and you have been so good with her kids......and for your information, she has dated a couple of guys that I know of over the past couple of years".

Richard's eyebrows shoot up "she has? What happened?".

"I am not sure, we just watched from the outside. One seemed just after getting in her pants...".

Richard mumbles under his breath "I don't blame him...."

Brendan snorts "yeah, well......get your mind out of that gutter and listen to the rest would you......she then saw another guy for a while, Tom, but he never jived with the kids, he always seemed like they were just luggage, not part of his life, you know.....just something he had to haul with them".

"Sad, how could you do that?".

"I don't know, man" and then Brendan's face lights up and he looks towards the hedge and the entrance to the church grounds "holy shit! I think your bride just arrived with someone in tow".

Richard turns his head and about looses all abilities to speak for a minute as we walk towards them.

Elliott's voice snaps him out of it "Mum! Mum....I'm over here, I walked over here with Richard and Brendan".

We get up to the two men and Brendan has a bemused look on his face "hi ladies, you look nice today".

Daniela smiles, giving him a knowing look and pulling him to the side "thanks", leaving Richard and I by ourselves.

I look at him and he gives me a big grin, stepping a bit closer and clearing his throat "you look absolutely stunning, Lauren" and I see his eyes wandering to my cleavage and him realizing I know where he is looking. He turns pink and coughs "sorry". I laugh and touch his arm "it's okay, Rich.....I know it is a bit much, I don't normally let the twins hang out like this".

He goes another shade of red "it's fine...they are fine....uhm...I mean..." and our eyes meet and we both just start laughing and he pulls me in for a hug "damn...this is not going well for me today, sorry". He holds me close for a second, looking into my eyes "god, you are beautiful, Lauren".

It is my turn to blush and I lower my gaze "thank you" and he is about to say something else, but we are attacked by a 5 year old, wrapping her arms around our legs "why are you guys hugging?".

I look down at her "because Rich said something funny".

She looks up at us and then at Richard "I like your funny hat" and she turns to me "and Mum...his name is Richard".

He kneels down and takes his hat off to show her "thanks, I like it too and don't you look pretty, Miss Emma....like a princess". She beams "thank you and I think my mum looks like a queen". He nods and smiles at her and then up at me "she does, you have a very pretty mum...." and he looks back at her "by the way, you are right, my full name is Richard, but most of my friends call me Rich".

Emma just catches him by surprise when she hugs him "then I am going to call you Rich since you are my friend".

He hesitates for a minute, but then hugs her back "yes you are, I'm very glad to have you as my friend".

She lets go and then runs off to play and he stands back up, putting his top hat back on and gives me a big smile "she is the cutest thing".

I nod and look after her "yeah, she is, I feel very lucky to have them both".

"Well you should be and they are lucky too, to have a mother that loves them and cares for them like you do".

It makes me blush "thanks, Rich....that means a lot to me".

He touches my arm with his warm fingers and meets my gaze "well, it is the truth".

We stand there for a few minutes just watching the kids run around and then everyone is called together to start shooting. We spent the rest of the afternoon filming, it is a lot of fun and the kids love every minute of it. The wedding scene is very moving and I find myself sniffling a little, being reminded of my own wedding and those feelings.

The final "cut" is called and everyone heads to the dressing rooms and get changed and soon head home, exhausted from the day's shooting. Elliott had a blast and is still running around like a crazy kid, but Emma is so tired and whiny by the time we get changed, that I can't wait to get her home and in bed. Ellen tells me to just take the kids and go home and I'm struggling to the car with a crying Emma, trying to carry all our stuff and keeping an eye on Elliott.

I am just out the door, pleading with Emma to please stop "I know, honey....you are hungry and tired, but just walk with Mum and we can get to the car and home".

She throws herself on the ground "I don't want to walk, I want you to carry me".

"I can't, sweetie, Mum has her hands full and Elliott is carrying things too......Emma, please just walk....".

I am near tears, it has been a long day and I am about to put my stuff down, but Richard comes out of the door and is by my side within two seconds "what's the matter, what can I do to help you?".

"We are ok, but thanks......".

He lifts an eyebrow "yeah, and I am the king of England......bullocks, Lauren....just let me help.....please".

I sigh "okay....thanks, Rich...would you just carry my stuff so I can haul her to the car?" and I go to hand him my bags. 

Richard shakes his head "no, just keep those.....let me carry her, I don't want you to hurt your back".

"I do it all the time".

"I know, but just humor me, okay" and he goes over and picks Emma up from the ground, cradling her over his shoulder and against his chest "come here, pumpkin, lets get you home". She snuggles into him and finally stops crying and we make it to the car. I dump the bags in the trunk and so does Elliott and open the car door, so Richard can put her in her seat. He gets her in and then fumbles with the carseat harness and finally gives up, looking a little embarrassed "sorry.....you better do it, it is smarter than me.....".

I buckle her in and get out, giving him grateful smile "you are fine.....those seats are a pain".

Elliott comes over "thanks for helping us, Rich......I'll see you around".

"You are welcome and thanks for being so great today, Elliott".

He grins "it was a lot of fun" and he gets in the car.

I turn to Richard and can't help but hug him "thanks, Rich.....you saved my butt, I was near a breaking point".

He wraps his arms around me for a second and I feel his warm body against mine, it feels really nice. "Your welcome, Lauren...anytime". We let go and he opens the car door for me and I get in "I'll see you tomorrow".

"Yeah, see you tomorrow and drive safe home" and he closes the door and we drive home, exhausted from a long day.

 

A few days later:

It is finally the weekend and I have just picked the kids up from their grandparents, they did riding this morning. We get home and the weather is really nice, so we decide to walk to the grocery store a few blocks away to get some stuff for the weekend. I love this part of London, a mixture of charming town homes and small apartment building. We gets the stuff we need and are heading out of the store. We are crossing the parking lot and see a familiar face walking towards us. Emma recognizes him first "Rich!".

He was scrolling his phone and looks up in surprise "Emma!" and he smiles at us all "Elliott and Lauren! What are you guys doing here?".

Emma is always ready to provide information "oh we just bought things for dinner. What are you doing here?".

"About to do the same thing and since the weather was nice, thought I would walk".

I look at him in surprise "you live close by?".

"Yeah about 3 blocks that way" and he points.

Elliott exclaims " no way....we live like 3 blocks the other way".

Richard looks at me "really?".

"Yeah we are on South Hampton".

He lets out a laugh "that's funny.....I'm in the middle of North Hampton Street".

"Small world".

He smiles "I guess so".

Emma jumps around us and tugs on my leg "Mum...can Richard come have pizza with us? I really would like him to, please?". Elliott jumps on the band wagon "yeah, Mum that would be awesome".

I look at them "i am sure Rich has better things to do today than have dinner with us" and our eyes meet.

He is about to say something, but Emma jumps in "do you, Rich? My mum makes the best pizza ever and you will love it".

"I'm sure she does Emma, but I don't want to....", I cut him off "you are more than welcome to join us if you like, but I don't think it is a great as the kids make it sound".

He smiles "I'll love to if it is no bother".

"Not at all, we would love to have you".

Both kids yells in unison "yay" and we make our way back to our town home, Richard assuring me he can go shopping later.

I unlock the door, gesturing "make yourself at home and he steps in "thank you" and holds up the bags "where do you want these?".

"Just in the kitchen" and I point through the arch way. I hang my coat and follow him the white and airy kitchen/family room. We live in this space with the cozy eating nook and then it opens into our family room with a couple of comfortable couches and chairs. 

He puts the bags on the counter and I give him a smile "thanks...can I take your jacket?".

He returns the smile and takes it off and I force myself not to stare too much, the v neck, white t-shirt he is wearing underneath is just fitting very nicely over his broad chest. He hands it to me and our fingers touch for a second, he wraps them around mine just briefly "yeah, thank you".

We are interrupted by Emma that comes running up to Richard, grabbing his hand and tugging "want to come see Hammy? I want to show you my room...please".

He laughs "okay....but maybe we need to help your mum with groceries first, sweetie".

I look at him "it's fine, Rich....I got it, but thanks".

Emma drags him upstairs and I shake my head and put stuff away, keeping out the things we need for pizza. I start to wash vegetables and I can hear them talking upstairs and all of them laughing a few times. I start to cut up some onions and they all come back down.

Elliott is beaming "Mum, Rich signed my Hobbit poster and you know, they gave him Orcrist, the sword and he said he will show me one day".

"That is very cool, Elliott" and I give Richard a smile "thank you".

Emma is almost jumping up and down "Mum, Mum....Rich saw my room and I showed him Hammy and Hammy bit his finger" and she lets out a giggle.

I drop my knife and walk over to Richard "really? Where?" and I reach for his hand when he holds it up and he doesn't look worried "I don't think it is a big deal, Lauren...relax...".

He has a small bite mark on his index finger and it is bleeding a little. 

I drag him in the bathroom "so sorry....I bet she woke Hammy up and they don't see well anyway, probably thought your finger was food". I turn on the sink and stick his finger under there "hold it there...I'll go get a bandaid".

Emma has already dragged the first aid kit out from the closet and comes with a bandaid "here, Mum...he can have a pink princess one".

I'm about to protest, but Richard touches my arm, whispering "it's fine....just roll with it".

I hand him a towel and he dries his finger and takes the bandaid from Emma "thank you very much".

She gives him a big grin "your welcome".

We got back in the kitchen and I continue to chop pizza toppings. Richard looks at me "can I help you with anything?".

"I'm fine, almost done, I think".

Emma comes running over "Rich, can you please read a book to me, please?".

I give him a look"you don't have too, she can be a bit demanding of your time....".

He takes the book from her "it's fine...sure, should we sit on the couch then?".

They get situated and Richard starts to read. I find myself getting lost in listening to that voice...smooth, deep and vibrating, the way he pronounces the words. I am not paying attention and the next thing is I feel a sharp pain in my thumb and I let out a yelp "OUCH!".

Richard flies off the couch "what, Lauren...what happened, are you okay?" and he rushes over. 

Blood starts to pour out my cut and I stick my thumb in my mouth, mumbling "I'm fine.....just cut myself".

"Let me see" and he drags me back in the bathroom and reaches for my wrist, but his breath gets caught in his throat as he just stares, as my thumb is stuck in my mouth. He swallows hard and I see his eyes go a shade darker and he clears his throat and croaks "let me have a look".

I pop it out of my mouth, having a pretty good idea what he was thinking and I feel a tiny burn of desire igniting in the pit of my stomach. He holds it over the sink and turn the water on, rinsing it clean "I think it is not too deep.....could be worse". Emma has reacted right away and brings another bandaid and Richard applies it to my finger "there, all better".

Touching his arm, I lean in closer "thanks, Rich". He gives me a longing look, but then snaps out of it and we walk back in the kitchen and he insist on taking over knife duty. I roll out the pizza dough and everyone gets to make their own pizza. We gather at the dining table and enjoy a tasty meal together, the kids happily chatting away and Richard keeps giving me little smiles across the table.

The kids insist on another reading marathon after dinner and they sit on either side of Richard as I quickly throw plates in the dishwasher and clean up. He reads Harry Potter to great delight and they reluctantly finally get ready for bed and I tug them in after they tell him goodnight. I come back down the stairs and he is in the kitchen, making tea. He looks at me "hope you don't mind?".

"No, not at all, Rich" and I get tea cups out and put them on the coffee table along with some cookies. He pour the tea and then sits down next to me and I give him a smile "thank you".

"Your welcome". 

I lean back against the couch "finally peace on earth".

He laughs "I bet".

"So any big plans for your birthday next Friday?".

Richard looks surprised "how did you know?".

"I might have spent some time googling you the other day".

He groans "ohh god......".

I smirk "it is not that bad, it was quite interesting actually".

"I'm afraid to ask" and then takes a sip of tea.

I smirk "well, it seems like you have a lot of female fans, they have their own army and will defend you to their deaths. You are fond of chocolate ice creme and food in general, love wine and label your self as moody and anti social".

"I guess most of that is true".

"YouTube has a lot of video clips, some with questionable content.....some female fans seem to study your roles for *science*" and I continue when he looks confused "like between the sheets...." and he turns a little red.

"Rich, are you blushing?".

"Maybe a little" and he looks away.

I touch his arm "oh come on, you were playing a role that required you to have sex, not a big deal.....sex is nothing to be ashamed of".

"I know that" and he lets out a laugh "but imagine having to watch those scenes with your mother.....she was not amused and left the room when my bum appeared".

I giggle "she did?".

"Yeah, I had to tell her it was a bum double before she would watch it, but of course it wasn't".

"That is a great story" and we share a laugh.

He takes a cookie and looks at me "so since I can't really google you....what would I find if I could?" and he looks at the picture on the side table "is that...?" and he picks it up to study it.

"Yeah, that is Luke Roberts, my late husband....us on the beach in Hawaii right after we eloped".

"You did?".

I laugh at the memory "yeah and my parents have never forgiven me. I met Luke in New York when I was going to design school, he literally ran into me at the gym and the rest is history. He was there working for an investment firm after getting out of the British Special Forces. We fell in love, got married and then moved here to London, into this place. Renovated it and Elliott and Emma were born. He did very well in the investment business, just like his dad and life was good. He was a tough guy and like most men" and Richard gives me look, but motions for me to continue "he didn't go to the doctor until he really was feeling like crap. Got diagnosed with colon cancer and passed away 2 months later".

Richard reaches for my hand and gently takes it "I'm sorry".

I sniffle and look at him "it's okay.....in some ways it was a gift, he didn't just die...we had time to say goodbye, you know....talk about the things we needed to talk about, so when he did pass away, nothing was left unsaid....we had made peace with it".

"But it must still have been so hard and the kids were little".

"Oh it was and still is sometimes...gets lonely, but I have been blessed with some incredible friends and family. Luke's parents are wonderful and help me so much. Luke was smart and left me a generous life insurance, so I don't have to worry, which has been such a gift. I don't have to work, but choose to, so my kids can learn the value of work and that not everything is just handed to them. I know I have been incredible lucky".

He scoots a little closer and drapes an arm around me, it feels nice and I lean my head on his shoulder. He looks at our hands and says quietly "can I ask why you stayed here and not went back to the States?".

I think for a minute "a lot of reasons and I did think about it, but we had made a life here, this is my home and this is all the kids knew, I felt it was important to keep a sense of normal for them".

"You are a good mother, Lauren".

I snort "I try to be, but it is not always easy".

"Oh, I'm sure it isn't and I might not be the best judge since I don't have any kids, but I think you are doing a good job".

"Thank you".

He looks at me and gives me a smile "You are welcome and I'm incredible attracted to you".

I meet his gaze "I think that feeling is mutual, Rich".

He reaches up and touches my chin, ever so lightly with his hand "and I am utterly terrified about it too"

I lean into his hand and then kiss his fingers lightly "I am too, but I am willing to give it a try, to see where it could lead us...".

Richard leans closer and tilt his head as I do the same and he plants the softest kiss on my lips. Our lips meet and it is tender at first, but I lean closer and grab the back of his head, running my fingers through his hair. He groans and slowly opens my mouth with his tongue and soon deepens it a bit more, our tongues wrapping around each other. It feels wonderful.

We kiss like this until we have to come up for air and he looks at me, making sure it is okay "I would very much like that, Lauren....to see where this could lead.....when you asked me what I am doing on my birthday next Friday, I was hoping I could ask you out, on like a real date....dinner?".

I smile, our lips still really close "I would love that, Rich...sounds nice" and close the distance again, relishing the feel of his soft lips against mine.

He finally pulls away, a little breathless, just like me "and now I better go home, before I loose my ability to act like a gentleman".

"Oh yea?" and I kiss him again, gently sucking on his lower lip and he wraps his arms around me, pulling me close for a searing kiss.

We break and he gets up "I really better go, Lauren...." and I can't help but notice the bulge in his jeans, causing me to take a deep breath and try to think about something else. The physical attraction between us is almost palpable, just waiting to explode.

I nod and he pulls me in for a hug and another kiss, mumbling in my mouth "I really don't want to". I murmur in the crook of his neck "I know".

He walks to the door, grabbing his jacket and putting in on, He turns and locks eyes with me "I had a lovely time tonight, Lauren and thank you for dinner".

"Me too, Rich and you are welcome" and he kiss me one final time, whispering softly "goodnight".

"Goodnight" and he walks out the door and I slowly close it behind him.

 


	4. Chapter 4

I am slowly waking up, slept really good, I stretch and then the pleasant memories from last night come flooding back. Our lovely talk over tea after the kids went to bed, his strong arm around my shoulder, the heat from his body and the feel of his lips on mine. He is a good kisser, soft and rough at the same time. I sigh and smile a little to myself, then my door busts open and Emma comes running in, climbs in bed and jumps on me "Mum! Mum! Can you get up? I'm hungry". She looks at me "you look happy, why are you happy Mum?".

"Just because, sweetie.....it was nice to have Rich over for dinner" and I will myself to at least sit up in bed. She jumps in to my arms and hugs me "it was, he is really nice, Mum.....I really like him. Do you like him?".

"I do, Emma....a lot".

"Maybe you can marry him and he can be my new dad" and she gives me a sincere look.

I let out a laugh "ohh Emma.....it is not that simple, sweetie....Rich and Mum are just friends right now, so don't get your hopes up.....you have to be friends for a long time before you marry someone, you have to make sure you really, really love them".

"Well, do you love Rich?".

"Uhmm.....I don't know, I like him a lot" and I give her a little smile "maybe I love him a little......".

"That's good...." and she grins at me.

"What's good?" and Elliott comes in, still looking a little sleepy, climbing into my bed too.

"That Mum loves Rich".

Elliott's eyes go wide "what? Is he still here?" and he looks around.

I get up "No, Rich is not here, he went home after we had tea last night and I was just telling Emma that I love him a little, nothing else....".

Elliott smirks "I think he loves you a lot, Mum".

"What makes you say that?" and I look at him, sitting back down on the edge of the bed.

He shrugs "just the way he looks at you when you are not looking.......he kind of....." and his voice trails off.

I reach out to touch his arm "what, Elliott.....you can say it, honey....nothing is off limits in this house, remember".

"He kind of looks at you the way Dad looks at you in some of the pictures we have".

His words hits me like a hammer and I sit there for a few seconds, letting them sink in, searching my brain for a way to respond "uhmmm....is that a bad thing?".

He smiles "no, not at all....I think it is good, Mom and he is nice to us too" and he gives me a look "he is not like Tom...".

I nod and hug him "I know, honey.....".

Emma hugs us both and exclaims "can we eat now?".

            *DING      DONG*

I look at the kids "who is here on a Sunday morning?" and I get up, finding my silk robe in the closet and putting it on. 

Elliott and Emma run out of my room and down the stairs, yelling back up "Mum! It's Rich.....he has a box or something".

"Shit" I mumble, running my hand through my bed hair "okay, let him in, tell him I'll be right there" and I hurry in the bathroom to at least comb my hair. I come down the stairs and he is standing at the bottom, looking refreshed and gives me a shy smile "I'm sorry.....I don't want to disturb you, but I brought you coffee and some warm chocolate croissants from the french baker by the supermarket, I hope you don't mind?".

I get to the bottom of the stairs and give him a smile "no, not at all.....come on in" and I gesture to my current outfit "sorry, we slept in a bit....lazy day".

Elliott takes the box from him and a bag, carrying them in the kitchen, followed by Emma. Richard yells after them "there is chocolate milk in the bag for you two" and he turns back to me as I reach out to take his coat. He leans a little closer and whispers in my ear "I had a really nice time last night and I had to see you again, I couldn't stop thinking about you, Lauren....." and our eyes meet and he gives me a quick kiss, making sure the kids are out of sight.

I give into the kiss, enjoying the feel of his lips and all I want is to wrap my arms around him, but I do remember where we are. I touch his face, feeling his scruff under my fingertips and give him a smile, saying softly "me too, Rich". We break and I go to hang up his coat, turning around and he is staring, I give him a look "what?".

He looks a little embarrassed "nothing.....it is just that robe" and he blushes "it just hugs you in all the right places" and he clears his throat and points to the kitchen "shall we?".

I roll my eyes "men...".

He grins and lightly smacks my behind as we turn to walk in the kitchen "hey now".

We sit down and enjoy those delicious croissants and when the kids run off to play for a bit, he slips his hand under the table to take my hand, lacing our fingers together. I give him a smile "it's nice" and I look out, making sure the kids are upstairs and then continue "look Rich, I think I failed to tell you yesterday....." and I hesitate, but he squeezes my hand, reassuring me and I continue "that if you are serious about wanting to see where this leads, that also means with Emma and Elliott...it can't just be me. I made the mistake before, when I started dating, that I wanted the relationship to work first and then brought my kids in later and it backfired big time".

Richard gives me a serious look "I know....Brendan mentioned a guy named Tom...".

"Brendan told you about it?" and I looked concerned.

He jumps in right away, talking with the hand that is not currently holding mine "yeah, but don't get mad at him, he only volunteered that information after I voiced doubts about you wanting to date me or anyone else".

I give him a small smile "you didn't think I was interested?".

"I didn't know for sure and I get it, Lauren....it is you and the kids, not just you" and he takes a breath "I am terrified...I don't know how it will work out and I don't have any kids, but I am willing to give it a try if it means I can be with you" and he adds with a grin "besides, I do really like Emma and Elliott".

"Well, they think you walk on water, so you already have some points there....that might change down the road, but you are ahead so far".

He laughs "well, that is a start, I guess, huh?".

"It is" and I look outside "well, Mr. Armitage.......don't know what plans you have today, but I was going to take the kids to the zoo since the weather is nice. You are welcome to join us if you want.....might as well get use to doing kid friendly things with them around" and I lean a little closer "sorry if you thought we were going to spent all our time making out".

"I'll be happy to go with you and the kids" and he looks out in the hall, making sure we are still alone and says huskily "as long as you are not opposed to make out when it is deemed appropriate".

I touch his face "I would very much like that" and we share a tender kiss. Our lips linger together a little longer, but we break when stomping footsteps are heard as Elliott comes down the stairs "Mum, are we still going to the zoo?".

"Yes, we are and Rich will come with us" and I reluctantly let go of his hand under the table so I can get up "go get dressed, Elliott" and I look at Richard "I'll hurry and go shower so I don't scare anyone at the zoo.....make yourself at home".

He gets to his feet too and gives me a smirk "I was hoping you would wear that to the zoo".

"In your dreams, Rich" and I walk upstairs.

He looks after me and mumbles under his breath "you have no idea, Lauren....." and walks to the couch, sitting down and is soon attacked by Emma and her book.

I hurry and shower, just pulling my hair into a ponytail and throwing on a t-shirt, jeans and my cowboy boots. I walk back downstairs and hear voices in the family room, more voices than there should be in there. I follow the sound and my eyes about bulge out of my head when I hear Richard "well, it is very nice to meet you Mrs. Tanner, you have lovely grandchildren" and I hear my mom reply "nice to meet you too, Richard and yes we do, Lauren is a great mom".

I run in there and Emma is sitting on Richard's lap with the iPad, talking to my mom in Kentucky on Facetime. I go over behind them "Emma...what are you doing? It is too early to call Grandma.....remember the time difference" and I wave to my mom "hi Mom, I guess Emma wanted to talk to you, huh?".

My mom's smiling face is on the screen "yeah, honey and she wanted me to meet her new friend, Richard" and she winks at me "and it is ok, Lauren.......we actually were up".

I roll my eyes "kids and technology these days" and I go on "anyway, how are you? I was going to call you tomorrow or something".

"We are good, honey and you?".

"We are good, Mom....we are headed to the zoo, the weather is nice".

"That's sounds fun and Emma was just telling me she was in a movie with Richard".

"Well, she played a small part as flower girl in North&South".

"Ohh, so you got married then, Richard?".

"Yes, ma'm, but just for the movie....I'm not married in real life".

My mom chuckles "well, I would hope not, since you are seeing my daughter......unless she ran off again and married you without telling us".

"Mom!".

She laughs "I'm only joking, honey....I would hope you would at least let us meet him before you marry him".

I am mortified and I am not sure if Richard wants to flee or hide or what.

"Mom...I don't even know what to say to you....but" and she cuts me off "oh here comes your dad.....hey Dad, come say hi....Emma is here with Lauren and her new friend, Richard".

My dad's smiling face comes into view and he waves "hi Emma....hi honey..." and he nods to Richard "nice to meet you, Richard".

Richard looks serious "Mr. Tanner".

"Oh, just call me Ted....the other is too formal" and he grins.

"Grandpa.....I miss you!".

"I miss you too, pumpkin...are you coming for Thanksgiving?".

I chime in "probably" and my mom cuts through "and you are invited too, Richard.....I know you don't celebrate in England, but know we would love to have you".

He gives me an uncertain look, but I just smile at him and he looks at my parents "thank you, I appreciate your kindness.....we'll have to see".

We chat with them a little longer and Elliott comes in to say hi to his grandparents too. Richard and I say goodbye and we go get a few things ready to take to the zoo, some snacks, a blankets and Richard loads the fold out wagon in my trunk. I show him where it is in the garage and as soon as we are outside, I grab his arm "sorry for throwing you into meeting my parents like that". 

He looks at me "it's fine, Lauren and nothing you could do about it. That child is quick, one second we were reading a book, the next second she was seated in my lap talking to your mum" and he reaches for my hand "they seem like really nice people".

"They are great, but I really wasn't planning on introducing you like that".

"I know that....don't worry about it" and he steals a quick kiss before we go gather the kids and put our jackets on and head to the zoo.

The place is packed, but we still have a nice time looking at the animals and after a while, we find a green spot by the playground and put our blanket down, sitting and having a snack. the kids run off the play and Richard looks a me, his eyes twinkling "thanks for inviting me, Lauren....this sure beats sitting at my place reading a script".

"Anytime, Rich" and he takes my hand, our fingers lacing together.

He puts his arm around me and I lean into him, he can't help but nuzzle my neck with his nose and a low moan escapes my lips. He kisses me ever so lightly "hmmm....you like that?".

"You have no idea, Rich".

He snorts "oh, I think I do....." and he looks at me "so before I forget, any suggestions to where I can take you on Friday for dinner?".

"I thought you were planning it all?".

"I am, but I don't want to take you to somewhere that you wont enjoy".

"Well, it is your birthday, Rich" and I put my other hand on his thigh, feeling him tense up under my touch "but I am easy going, I'll eat pretty much anything as long as it is good". 

"You are not being helpful" and he gives me a grin.

"Okay Mr. Difficult......I love a good steak and Italian food, better?".

He kisses me again "much, thank you" and then moves away from my hand on his thigh, groaning "Lauren, please don't".

I lift an eyebrow "why? Does it bother you?" and I move my hand, sounding a little hurt "sorry".

He grabs my face with both his hands, croaking "it doesn't bother me at all, it's just..." and he blushes "I would like to be able to stand up in a minute without embarrassing myself....".

I get it and give him a quick kiss "sorry....I wont do it again, ever...".

"Oh, I hope you will, just not in public". He leans his fore head against mine "I really like you, Lauren...a lot".

"I like you too, Rich" and we share a smile.

Emma comes running over "I saw you kissing".

We both look at her and I answer her "yeah, does it bother you?".

"No, it makes me happy" and she bats her eyes "can we have some ice creme, please?".

Richard gets up and gives me a hand "if your mum says yes, I'll go buy you the biggest ice creme you can eat".

"Yay, I'll go get Elliott" and she runs off as we pack out things back in the wagon. We make our way to the ice creme hut and I take a seat, waiting for them as they stand in line. Richard is holding Emma's hand and casually talking to Elliott. Richard looks so good in his biker boots, jeans and his beloved Belstaff jacket. His Ray Ban aviator sunglasses are stuck in the v of his t-shirt. He turns a certain way and because of his current sideburns and haircut, it is like seeing a modern John Thornton. They get up to the counter and he lifts Emma up so she can see and they order. The kids turn around with big cones and Richard puts his wallet back in his pocket and turns to leave, a cone in his hand. The kids run over to me.

I notice a couple of ladies staring at him, pointing and one of them approach him and says something. He nods and I can tell he is a little bothered, but does sign the piece of paper she hands him and when she waves over her friend to take a picture, I can see him cringe internally. He quickly poses for one with each of them and then comes over, giving me a apologetic look "sorry about that". He sits down on the bench.

I touch his arm "don't apologize, Rich....it is part of what comes with being with you....just like those rascals" and I nod towards Elliott and Emma happily consuming their ice creme "comes with being with me".

He smiles "I guess it is a fair trade........as long as they don't start invading your privacy or mine, there is a line".

"I know and judging from what is out on google, you have managed pretty good so far. And I followed you on Twitter".

"Great......don't really know if I like Twitter or not".

"It's great, Rich and I think people enjoy hearing from you once in a while. I like it a lot and it keeps me up to date with the things and people I am interested in".

He takes a bite of his ice creme "well, I'll have to follow you back" and he looks around, seeing the two women are still watching him "uhm...how about we head out, I think we are being watched".

"Oh, we are and good idea" and we get out stuff and slowly make our way out of the zoo and to the car.

We drive home and Richard helps us in with all our stuff and then says goodnight, he really does need to read the script for tomorrow and we have to finish homework and get ready for a new week. He says goodbye to the kids and I walk him out to the door. He wraps me in his arms for a tight hug and then plants a soft kiss on my lips "thanks for another lovely day, Lauren....I'll see you tomorrow sometime".

"Thanks for putting up with us today, Rich....see you tomorrow" and he steals another kiss before he leaves.

 

The next day:

I pull into a work a little early again, managed to drop the kids off in a timely manner. I drive over where I usually park and see his car there already, he is always early. I pull up next to it and turn my engine off. I glance over and he is still in there and gets out when he sees me. I get out too, looking at him as he walks towards me "morning, Rich....why are you not at work yet?".

He opens his arms for a hug and pulls me in "because I was waiting for you".

I hug him back "why?".

"So I could do this" and he captures my lips in a kiss that very quickly turns a little heated. I moan into his mouth and he presses me against my car as I run my hands down his leather clad back. He pulls away to make sure it is okay and he must like what he sees, because he dives back in, gently pushing his tongue inside my mouth. I tangle my fingers in his hair and our tongues wrap around each other. He groans when I run a hand down his back again and grabs his butt, pulling him closer. I want him, but I also know now is not the right time and so does he. We finally break, both breathless and he gives me a smile "well, that was worth the wait then...".

"I hope so" and he takes my hand, walking me down to my work area, leaving me with another kiss outside the door and a promise to meet for lunch.

  


	5. Chapter 5

5 Days later:

I am coming in to work a little later since I had to make a stop at the sweet shop to pick up the cake I ordered. I balance it up the stairs and put it in the fridge in the cafeteria with the help of the lady running it.

I run downstairs again and walk briskly to my work room, being greeted by Ellen "hi Lauren, got what you needed?".

"Yes, the cake is upstairs and the cast and crew have been told to gather there at 3 pm for an important meeting".

"Good, he might hate it" and she gives me a look.

I smile "oh he will, but deep down he will also love it".

"Still going to dinner with him tonight?".

"Yeah" and I sit down, reaching for the skirt I was working on yesterday "he said he would pick me up at 7pm and to wear something for going out, whatever that means".

She comes over "so what are you wearing?".

"Oh, that red lace dress you helped me make last year for my brother's wedding".

"It's gorgeous..... he will like that".

"Lets hope so".

She laughs "Lauren, I think it doesn't matter what you wear, Richard will love it.....he has it bad from what I can tell, him coming down here everyday, even if it is just for 5 minutes to kiss on you and courting you at lunch. It is quite sweet if you ask me".

I smile at her talking about us and how Richard has been down here everyday this week and we have eaten lunch together. "He is very nice, Ellen.....I like him a lot".

"Well, it is about time you find someone that loves you like you deserved to be loved and he is so good with the kids".

"I know" and we get back to work, making more costumes for the show and also looking at little ahead for our next project. It is finally lunch time and Richard comes down, everyone else have already gone. I stand up and stretch, moving my neck from side to side, getting the stiffness out. I walk towards him and he smiles, pulling me in for a hug and a long kiss. I wrap my arms around him, he is still dressed like John Thornton, except his took off his jacket and tall hat. I grab his face, deepening the kiss and earning and groan from him. We finally break and I look into his sparkling blue eyes "Happy Birthday, Rich".

"Thank you" and he kisses me again.

"I have a present, but you'll have to wait until later to open it".

He leans against my forehead "oh yeah? Can I have a hint?".

"Maybe" and I pull my shirt to the side, giving him a peak of black and pink lace.

Richard practically whimpers "bloody hell, put that away right now, Lauren" and then he smirks "but I think I am going to like it".

"I hope so" and we head to lunch after sharing another kiss.

 

A few hours later:

I am hiding in the kitchen, waiting for the signal to bring out the cake. I can hear the cast and crew talking quietly, some of them wondering why they were summoned to a meeting on a Friday afternoon. The director comes in and Bryan says a few words, breaking the news of why they are really here "actually folks, you are all called to this meeting because we want to wish Richard a very Happy Birthday today!".

Everyone claps and cheers and the doors open and we roll out the chocolate cake I picked up this morning, with 43 lit candles on it. Richard looks a little embarrassed, but gives me a warm smile and then leans down, planting a tender kiss on my lips, which makes the entire room explode with applauds and cat calls. We sing "Happy Birthday" to him, he makes a wish and blows out all the candles and then everyone come up to have a slice of cake and a drink, standing around and chatting.

Richard does enjoy himself and talks with everyone before it is time to wish each other a great weekend and people file out to go home.

Daniela comes over and gives me a hug "have a great date tonight, you deserve this".

I look surprised "he told you about it?".

"Yeah, I think he is a little nervous".

"He didn't say, but mumbled something about it has been a while......" and she smirks.

"Dani!",

She laughs and just says in parting "enjoy" and she hugs Richard, saying a little too loud "don't do anything I wouldn't do"

The last people are leaving and Brendan comes over to us, giving me a kiss on the cheek and then patting Richard's shoulder "you lucky lad....be good to her" and he leaves.

We walk down to our cars and Richard pulls me into his arms "thank you for the cake, you didn't have to do that, Lauren, but it was really nice".

"Glad you liked it" and we share a kiss "see you at 7?".

"Yes, I'll come pick you up....by the way, where are Elliott and Emma?".

"Luke's parents got them from school today, they were bummed they don't get to see you for your birthday. I told them you might see them tomorrow".

"That would be nice" and he opens my door, giving me one final kiss before I drive off.

 

I am slipping on my dress and step into my nude heels. I came home and took a quick shower, blow drying my hair and got dressed. I pick up the house a little, waiting for him and right at 7 pm, there is a knock on the door. I open it and Richard is standing outside in a grey suit, with a crisp white shirt under it, the collar left open. He looks delicious and I give him a soft kiss as he hands me the red roses he was holding in his hand. He holds me out from him, his eyes roaming over my body "with fear of sounding shallow......you look stunning, Lauren".

Kissing him again, I smile "thank you, Rich and it is not shallow since it coming from you....and thank you for the flowers, you didn't have to do that".

He follows me in the kitchen as I put them in a vase "well, it is a real date, isn't it?".

"I guess so" and he comes over to wrap me in his arms and I run my hand over his scruffy chin "but you still didn't have to".

"I wanted to.....are you ready to go? I have reservations and there is a car waiting outside".

My eyes widen "what? You didn't drive?".

"No, I wanted to not have to worry about what I might drink tonight" and then quickly adds "not that I am planning on getting drunk as a skunk...but you know you can hardly have more than one glass and you are over".

"Oh, I know Rich" and I give him a grin "but I must admit I am disappointed.....I think you would be rather fun drunk as a skunk".

"I'm not, trust me.....just even more moody".

"Ha, I doubt it".

He gives me a smirk "so are you saying I'm pretty bad not drunk?".

I get serious for a minute "no, not at all and I don't really see it as moody....and yes, I have seen you over by yourself, withdrawn and not talking to anyone.....but I guess I get it, I can be that way too and it is just me working out my own issues, in private and I also think, that half the time you get like that, it is because you are concentrating on your role and the character you are playing".

Richard stand stunned for a minute and then just kisses me with passion and when we pull apart, he holds my head in his hands, his blue eyes piercing me "thank you....you really get it, you get me" and then adds "I have never seen you moody like that".

"Well, I have to really keep it under wraps....I have to be there for Elliott and Emma and can't afford to withdraw that much when they are around, you make sacrifices when you are a parent and especially when you are a single parent".

"You are amazing" and he reaches for my hand "ready?".

"Yeah, sorry to get rambling".

He stops me, putting a finger over my lips "don't you dare apologize, it was important" and I grab my coat, Richard helps me put it on and we head out the door. Richard holds the car door open and helps me in, getting in on the other side. The driver nods to me and Richard nods back and we drive towards downtown London.

We end up in front of "The Black Adder" and Richard thanks the driver and jumps out, coming over to open my door, reaching for my hand so I can step out. He takes my hand and we walk hand in hand to the door and he holds it open for me. The maitre D looks up and smiles "ahh, Mr. Armitage...good to see you again, miss....please follow Pete, he will get your seated" and we are lead to the back of the restaurant, over to a very private corner. I feel eyes on us as we walk through the restaurant and I see at least a couple of ladies recognizing Richard. He pulls out my chair and I sit down and he takes his seat opposite me, giving me a look "hope this is ok?".

"It's great, Rich....i love this place, actually" and I get quiet "Luke and I use to come here, it holds a lot of good memories".

"You sure?" and he frowns "we can go somewhere else".

I grab his hand "no, this is wonderful, as I said, they are good memories, Rich and I think I am about to make some more".

He calms down and relaxes a bit "I hope so....I came here the other day and interrogated the maitr D, looked at the menu and left him a fat tip. I want tonight to be perfect".

"It will be, Rich" and I lean in and we share a tender kiss.

The waiter brings us some fresh bread and Richard orders a bottle of wine, which magically appears almost instantly. He raises his glass "cheers, Lauren...".

"Cheers, Rich and happy birthday".

"Thank you, love" and I about choke when he calls me that.

We look over the menu and place our order, a wedge salad to start for me and Richard orders a caprese salad. We sit and talk quietly, it is really away from everyone and it feels very intimate and private. 

Our salads are served and we dig in. I look at him "so are your parents doing anything for your birthday?".

He talks with his hands "yeah, I am expected there for dinner on Sunday with my brother and his family. They wanted to have me up tonight, but I told them I had plans" and he looks a little hesitant "which resulted in my mum nagging me until she got out of me, that I was going on a date" and he adds "which then made her freak out with excitement and I had to tell her a little about you".

"And that was bad?".

"No, no, Lauren.....sorry, that sounded bad....I just prefer to wait to tell my folks, no need to tell them if..." and he looks uncomfortable.

I finish his sentence "I get it...no need to tell them in case things don't go as planned" and I give him a serious look "don't feel bad about saying that, Rich....I think we are both adults and have been around the block long enough to know that things don't always work out".

He nods "aint that the truth and it doesn't help when your mum practically starts making wedding plans the minute you mentions a girl's name".

"She wants you to get married that bad?".

"Oh yeah and so does my dad....mind you, they are great people....".

"I don't doubt that....look at the son they raised".

He blushes a bit and takes another sip of wine "I don't know about that.."

"Well, I do" and we share a smile and he reaches for my hand on the table.

Our steaks arrive, I ordered a filet mignon with blue cheese topping and a loaded baked potato, I am American after all. He ordered a T-Bone with mashed, parmesan cheese potatoes and we got some grilled asparagus with balsamic reduction to share. The food is so good and we just quietly talk as we enjoy this meal together and the great wine.

I look at him and give him a happy smile "this is divine.....thank you, it has been a while since I have been wined and dined like this".

Richard reaches for my hand "then I think you dated the wrong blokes if you ask me".

"Oh I agree...but thank you, it is really lovely, Rich".

"Well, I hope the evening is not over yet?" and he gives me questioning eyes.

I shake my head and take another sip of wine "no, I hope not either, but what do you have in mind?".

"Maybe get dessert to go and we can eat it at my place with some tea".

Lifting an eyebrow, I look directly at him, saying quietly "and then?".

He blushes ever so slightly "whatever you want, Lauren.....".

"Oh really?" and I empty my glass "be careful what you wish for, Rich....it might come true" and I snake my leg up his, after toeing out of my heel, under the long table cloth, rubbing his knee and then his thigh. His muscles tense, but I pull away before going any further.

Richard looks at me, his eyes are intense and he has lust written all over his face and he whispers as he caresses my hand "you are naughty".

Smirking at him, I wrap my fingers around his "is that bad?".

He empties his glass "no, far from it......but I was hoping to act like a gentleman tonight".

"I think you are doing just fine, Rich".

"Thanks" and he asks the waiter to call us a cab and we decide to order the triple chocolate cake to go. Richard pays the bill and the waiter returns with an elegantly wrapped box with a fancy bow. We both thank him for the excellent service and we get up, Richard taking my hand as we walk back towards the front of the restaurant.

The maitre D about trips over his own feet, wishing us a good night and letting Richard know in no uncertain terms that he hopes to see him back here again soon.

Richard opens the door to the cab and helps me in, getting in next to me and giving his address to the driver. He has his arm around me and I lean my head on his shoulder, he kisses my forehead and whispers in my ear "I can't wait to get home".

Our hands snake together in my lap and he leans in and gives me a soft kiss, but keeping it chaste since we are in the taxi. The driver pulls up in front of an older home and turns "here you are, sir and madam". Richard pays him and gets out, giving me a hand and we walk through the front yard to the door and he unlocks it, gesturing "welcome to my humble abode.....make yourself at home".

I step inside and it is definitely a bachelor pad, but very tidy and I love the old charm of the house, it feels like it has seen a lot and it is very cozy. He gestures in the living room "have a seat, I can go make tea or do you want coffee?".

"Tea is great, but are you not going to give me the grand tour?" and I give him a smile while hanging up my coat and putting my purse on the table

He puts the box from the restaurant on the coffee table and then comes over to kiss me "you want a tour, huh?".

I return the kiss "yes, please....".

Richard grabs my hand "ok, fine" and we walk through his home. The main floor has a kitchen and dining area, the living room, a bathroom, a guest bedroom and a mud room leading out to the back yard. We walk up the stairs and there are a couple of bedrooms, left pretty much empty, another bathroom, a library with lots of light coming from a big window and then we get to his bedroom. It is very simple, he currently has navy sheets on the queen bed and a bathroom is off to the side with a shower and a tub. 

"It is very nice, Rich....I love the charm of an old house".

He turns, standing in the middle of his bedroom, which feels oddly intimate "me too, that is why I bought it in the first place" and he gestures to the stairs "shall we go make some tea?".

"Sure" and I turn to leave, but he yanks me in for a hug and he croaks in my ear "now you have seen my bedroom, you better show me yours next time I come over" and he gives me a mischievous grin " I might actually have peaked when the kids showed me their rooms".

We meet in a kiss "oh yeah and what did you think?".

"Very pretty and romantic and girly" and he deepens the kiss a little.

I run my hands through his hair and I feel his strong fingers on my back as we embrace, drawing each other closer. I look at him "so....nothing wrong with that, I am a girl in case you forgot".

He runs his hands down my back and rests them right above my behind and he holds me close, groaning into my mouth "oh I am very aware that you are a girl and that is why we need to leave and go downstairs before this boy looses the last ounces of self control'. 

I pretend to pout "you are no fun", but give him a smile, letting him know I am joking. Our eyes meet and I give him a serious look "you know, they say it is one of the strongest instincts us humans have and I am beginning to believe it. It might sound shallow, but that is one of the things I missed the most after Luke died, the intimacy and the sex".

Richard is listening "I don't think that is shallow at all, Lauren and I agree and understand......I miss that too.....a lot". He pulls me over to the couch by the window and we sit down.

We are still holding hands and I look at him "so when was your last relationship and what happened?".

He coughs and talks with his one hand "a girl in New Zealand, American actually...it was nice and things were going well, but then I mentioned kids and she told me she was not interested in that and left".

"Sorry, Rich....that must have hurt".

"A bit, I thought I knew her, but now when I think about it, maybe we were just together for the sex, not much deep conversation now that I look back on it".

I smile "well, that is okay sometimes too.....and you know I dated a couple of guys, Tom being the last a year ago, but it probably was never that serious either, I was just lonely and sometimes BOB is just not enough, you know".

Richard looks at me with confusion all over his face "BOB....?".

I blush, but then look at him "battery operated boyfriend".

He is still confused "battery operated boyfriend, I don't get...." and then it dawns on him and he swallows hard, muttering under his breath "fuck".

"What, Rich? Don't tell me you haven't gotten yourself off before and vibrators make it more fun" and I lean closer, touching his chin "does it bother you?".

Reaching for me, he pulls me closer and captures my lips in a searing kiss, opening my mouth with his tongue and we both need to be closer to each other, so I climb into his lap as he leans back on the couch. Things heat up quickly, I straddle him and he plants his hands on my thighs, pushing his fingers under my dress and I seat myself in his lap, both of us moaning when I feel his bulge, straining in the front of his suit pants.

Our lungs need air and we break and he looks at me, his eyes dark with arousal "no, it doesn't bother me at all, it just turns me on and I don't want to come off as a horny bastard and try to get you into bed on our first date, because that is not what I had planned....".

"What was your plan" and I unbutton his suit coat and I help him take it off.

Our faces are really close and he looks at me, moving a strand of hair out of my face "just enjoy your company, get to know you, maybe make out a little...".

"Well, I think so far you have done pretty well, Rich" and our lips meet again and I unbutton a couple of more buttons in his shirt, reaching in to touch his chest, running my hands through his curly, dark chest hair. I nibble on his ear lobe, discovering that it drives him crazy. He moves his hips, going even harder against me and whisper in his ear "I would very much like to get into bed with you".

Richard groans when I rake my nails over his nipple and bucks his hips and our kiss deepens, to the point where we are devouring each other. His hands are all over, first they push up on my thighs, further under my skirt to my behind and he holds me to him as I rub myself against him, drawing aroused groans from us both. Then he moves both hands up to cup my breasts through my dress and I arch into him.

I have one hand on his chest and the other tangled in his hair, holding him close. I moan when I feel him thrust his hips, making his erection rub against my center, only covered by my thin panties "Rich.....I want you".

He locks eyes with me, his pupils blown wide and he groans "I want you too, Lauren...so much, but are you sure?".

Our tongues wrap around each other and I do my best to dry hump him, feeling him twitch against me "hmmmm....yes I'm sure".

He reaches up to find the zipper on the back on my dress and I finish opening his shirt. 

BARK    BARK     BARK

We stop and look at each other, he is breathless "I don't have a dog...".

I am in some sort of haze from arousal and it takes me a second and then I scramble off his lap "that's my cell phone....it is Luke's parents....". 

Richard eyes widen and he gets up too "the kids?".

"That would be the only reason they would call me tonight" and I run down the stairs, into the the living room, fumbling for my phone in my purse. I miss the call, but hit redial right away. I look up as Richard joins me, watching me.

"Hi Mary....sorry I missed the call....I was busy" and Richard gives me a wicked grin, but then he turns serious as he watches my face.

"He did? When?" and I look at Richard as I hold my hand over the phone "Elliott fell out of the bunk bed, they think he broke his arm". Richard pulls me into his arms as I continue to listen "ok, I'll have Richard run me home and I'll meet you there...". Richard interrupts me "I'll take you......." and he lets me go, buttoning up his shirt and going to find his keys.

I reach for my coat "no, no, Mary, don't you dare feel bad.....it is not your fault, he is a monkey and a boy. I'll see you at the hospital in a few minutes".

Richard comes back down, pulling his suit coat back on "is he ok? What happened?".

"He was goofing around before bed and lost his grip....he is a boy and a bit of a wild one..." and I turn to him "you can just run me home and I can take my car. I don't want you to be stuck there for hours, Rich....it could take a while".

He comes over, wrapping his arms around me "I'm taking you and I don't care if we are stuck there for hours as long as I am there with you".

We lock lips and share another passionate kiss and I groan in frustration "sorry for ruining the evening......it was just about to get interesting.....".

"I know, Lauren, but it is not your fault.....things happen.....".

"Can you even drive, Rich?".

"Yeah, we just had a couple of glasses of wine and we had a lot to eat" and we get in his car to drive to the hospital.

  


	6. Chapter 6

We get to the children's hospital quickly and he holds my hand, as we walk into the after hours clinic there. I get up to the check in desk "Hi, I'm Lauren Robert's, my son was brought in here by his grandparents and ...".

"MUM! Rich!" and we both turn and look as Emma comes running down the hall. I bend down to hug her and she takes my hand and reaches for Richard's hand too "come on.....Elliott is down there, they just took pictures of his arm".

Luke's mom comes out of a door as we walk down the hall "Emma! You need to stay put, sweetie" and she spots us "ohhh, you found your Mum" and she looks at Richard with interest "and you must be Rich....Emma and Elliott have told us all about you" and she extends her hand "I'm Mary Robert's" and she smiles "I sure enjoyed you in *North & South* the first go around and very excited about this second round".

Richard extends his hand, looking a little uncomfortable "so nice to meet you and thank you".

She looks at both of us "so sorry to have to call and spoil your evening".

I hug her "it's ok....so what is going on with Elliott?".

She turns "come on in, they just brought him back from X-rays and Frank is here with him".

We walk in and Elliott is laying on the bench, holding his left arm, but he smiles when he sees us "Mum! Rich!".

I hug him and give him a kiss "how are you, sweetie, does it hurt?".

"No, I'm fine, Mum...don't worry".

Richard puts his hand on Elliott's shoulder "hey buddy".

Elliott grins "hey Rich" and then he looks a little sad "sorry for having to call my Mum tonight".

"Don't you worry about that, Elliott.....I can always take your Mum out another night. The most important thing is you and Emma, that you are ok".

I turn to Frank and he gives me a hug "Lauren....sorry for the ruckus".

"He is a boy.....things happen" and I turn to Richard "please meet Luke's dad, Frank.......Frank, this is Richard".

They shake hands, Richard looks nervous "Sir".

Franks gives him a firm handshake "nice to meet, Richard....my wife loved you as John Thornton, but I myself enjoyed you as Lucas a bit more".

Richard coughs "thank you".

"Sorry for having to call you here....I bet you were hoping for a nice evening with Lauren".

"It's quite alright, her kids comes first, I understand that".

Franks nods in approval "yes, they do and they sure think you walk on water. We have heard a lot about you from both of them".

Richard blushes "I'm flattered".

"You should be......kids have a way of knowing if you have good intentions or not" and he gives Richard a serious look "I love Lauren like she was my own daughter, so it means a lot to me that her kids like you".

I can tell Richard is embarrassed, so I step in "okay, Frank...don't scare him too bad".

He laughs and winks at us both "I'm not, just telling him where I stand".

The doctor comes in before we can say anything else "ahhh, I see Mum and Dad have arrived" and Mary gives me a smile as the doctor shakes our hands "Mr. and Mrs. Roberts...I'm Dr. Ashby and I have Elliott's x-ray to show you".

Emma has been holding Richard's hand this entire time and she finally pipes up "he is not our dad, his name is Rich and my Mum really likes him and I really like him too".

Richard turns bright red, I blush and Luke's parents laughs. The Dr. looks at Emma and then at us "sorry, I just assumed, you looked so together......".

I smile "it's alright.....so you were saying about the X-ray".

"Yes" and he puts it up on the light box and points "right there...it is just a small fracture on his lower arm, not broken all the way through, so we will take him back and put a cast on it, should heal in 5 weeks or so".

Emma pulls on Richard's hand "I want to see" and he bends down and lifts her up so she can see it. She looks at her brother "yep, I can see it...it's broken" and we all start to laugh.

Dr. Ashby looks at me "you can come with him, but the room is not big enough for everyone".

I look at Luke's parents "thank you so much. Why don't you go home, no need to wait anymore.....but we do need the car seats from your car, we came in Richard's".

He turns, still holding Emma "we'll go get them, don't worry.....we'll wait for you guys in the sitting area".

I nod and without thinking, just lean over and give him a quick kiss and touch Emma's arm "be good, sweetie and please listen to Rich".

She nods and yawns, it is past her bedtime and I help Elliott up and follow him and the doctor down the hall.

We get all done, Elliott is now sporty a cool blue cast on his arm and he is yawning too. Walking out to the waiting area, I spot Richard, sitting in one of the chairs, holding a sleeping Emma on his lap. He looks at me and smiles "sorry....she fell asleep".

"It's fine, it is several hours past her bedtime".

He looks at Elliott "nice cast".

Elliott grins "thanks, Rich".

I say to them both "let's go home" and I reach for Emma, but Richard shakes his head "no, I got her....don't want you to strain your back" and he takes hold of her, slowly standing up and she mumbles and wraps her tiny arms around his neck. We walk to the car and I open the back door, so he can get Emma in her car seat, smiling proudly when he gets her buckled in "got it" and he can't help but cup my face as he stand back up "but there is no guarantee I can get her out". I lean into his hand and he gives me a soft kiss on the lips.

We get in and drive home quickly, Elliott complaining that his arm hurts and I turn in my seat "I know, honey....I'll give you some medicine when we get home and then you need to get some sleep, it is really late". Emma snores a couple of times from the backseat, Richard and I just look at each other and smile.

Richard pulls up in the front and I hurry to unlock the door, Elliott following me and I turn to go back to help with Emma, but Richard is already carrying her up the walk way to the door. I grin "you got her out all by yourself....you deserve a prize of some sort".

He swats my rear as he walks by, smirking "I can think of a couple" and then he turns serious "what do you want me do with her? Bed, couch?".

"Bed" and I point, following him up the stairs and hurrying to pull the sheets aside on her bed. Richard gently lifts her into bed, bending over, which is one of my least favorite things, it is back breaking for me to do that, so I am grateful he is able to do it for me tonight. She hardly stirs and I pull her leggins off and cover her up. We both look at her for a minute and I turn to Richard, whispering "thanks for carrying her in for me".

He pulls me in for a hug and a soft kiss "anytime" and we hold each other for a few moments, until Elliott gently pushes on the door "Mum, do you have some medicine?".

I look up from resting my head on Richard's chest "yes, honey....I'll bring it to you right now......and say goodnight to Rich".

Elliott comes over and just hugs Richard, taking him by surprise and he shoots me a funny look, before hugging him back "Goodnight, Elliott....get some rest okay".

"Ok and thanks for bringing Mum over so fast to the hospital.....goodnight" and he walks out to go to his room.

Richard follows me as we leave Emma's room, turning on her nightlight and I walk in my room, in the bathroom to the cabinet, finding our medical box and some pain medicine to give to Elliott. I catch Richard's uncertain look "what, Rich......what are you worried about?".

He leans against the bathroom counter, searching for the right words "uhmm...do you think it is weird they are hugging me....your kids?".

I smile, realizing what I was seeing in his eyes and I come over and wrap my arms around him, looking him in the eyes "no, I don't, Rich and it is not bugging me, freaking me out or whatever you might be worried about. It just seems natural to them and nobody is forcing them, so just roll with it unless it bothers you".

His eyes go wide and he lifts his hands in defense "oh god no, it doesn't....but I just don't want to intrude or make it weird".

"You are not.....you are just letting things happen organically, which is good and the kids seem so comfortable with you. You really should take that as a compliment" and I pause for a second before continuing "when Tom finally tried to interact with them, it felt very forced and he would expect them to hug him and so forth, which just turned them off and in the end, me as well....".

He snakes his arms around my waist and pulls me in for a kiss, that slowly deepens at bit and he whispers "I hope I don't turn you off.....".

I wrap my arms around his shoulders, bringing them up to tangle in his hair and I kiss him with everything I have. We finally break, both of us breathless, his nose is touching mine and I smile "I think that answers your question".

He grins back and kisses me once more, before pointing to the cup on the counter "Elliott's medicine". I nod and we walk of our my room together, our fingers intertwined and he lifts our hand and kisses my knuckles in the hallway "I'll be downstairs". I go in Elliott's room and stop, smiling......he is already asleep in his bed, so I go pour the medicine back and walk downstairs.

Richard gets up from the couch in the front room "is he alright?".

"Yeah, was actually asleep already, so no pain meds" and I stifle a yawn "ohh, excuse me".

He comes over and embraces me, kissing the top of my head "no, you are fine, you have every right to be tired...." and we stand there for a minute and then he cups my face with his hand "I had a lovely evening, Lauren, but you need to get some rest" and he gives me a longing look "as much as I would like to take you to bed, I better go home.....don't want to freak the kids out or worse...wake them up" and he blushes.

I smirk "and we probably would", which makes him give me a shit eating grin and kissing me deeply. I put a hand on his chest "how about dinner here next Friday?" and I lean in, almost touching his ear with my lips "and bring an overnight bag if you want".

He crashed his lips against mine and practically growls into my mouth "I very much want" and we both moan when he slides his hands down on my behind, pulling me closer. He reluctantly lets go of me "okay....before I loose all ability to act like a descent male with morals, I really need to go" and he walks towards the door. I follow him and he puts a hand on the door knob and turns towards me again, putting his other hand behind my head and pulls me in for another hungry kiss "this is so bloody hard, Lauren" and he moans when I suck on his lower lip "god, I want you, baby".

I run my hand under his suit jacket, caressing his torso through his thin dress shirt, I can feel every muscle. I move my hands behind his back and down over his rear, taking a firm hold and kissing him back with as much passion. He bucks his hips and grunts, I moan as I feel his hard erection pressing against me through his pants "ohhh, Rich.....".

He takes a deep breath and pulls away, giving me a look full of lust "I'm leaving or this will end against the nearest wall or on the couch and that is not the way I want our first time to be".

Biting my lower lip, feeling how wet I am, I nod in understanding as he opens the door "you are invited for breakfast tomorrow, American style if you feel like it, 9am".

Richard smiles as he turns towards me and quickly kisses me again "deal....goodnight, Lauren....please get some sleep".

I run my hand over his scruff "goodnight, Rich....thanks for a lovely date and for all your help with the kids tonight".

Giving me one final kiss and a smile, he finally walks out the door and I close it when he gets in his car and drives off.

Sighing, I make my way back up the stairs, check on the kids and then get ready for bed. I pull the sheets aside and climb in, laying down and exhaling......letting my thoughts run wild for a while before I am finally able to drift off to sleep.

 

 Next morning:

I got woken up by the kids, Elliott complaining about his arm and Emma just bouncing off the walls. I gave Elliott some pain meds and they are now both watching TV in the family room by the kitchen and I am making breakfast. The hashbrowns are in the oven and the bacon is done. I am cooking the scrambled eggs right now and putting out the jam and butter for the toast. 

DING     DONG 

"Emma, Elliott......go unlock the door for Rich please". They both jump off the couch and soon come back, Richard in tow. He walks over to give me a kiss and I inhale his freshly showered scent "morning, Rich....sleep well?".

He gives me a funny look "uhm...well, yeah...after a while. How about you?".

I feel a blush coming on and try to will it away "probably the same here....after a while....".

Neither of us seem willing to divulge any more information at this point. I cough "so tea, coffee, orange juice, chocolate milk?".

"What are you having? I don't want to it to be a hassle...".

I point the spatula at him "Rich, it is not an issue, so what do you want....spit it out, Mr. Armitage".

He laughs and puts his hands up "fine....I don't argue with a woman holding kitchen utensils in a threatening manner......tea, please".

Putting water on for tea, I motion to the fridge "care to get out the orange juice?".

"No, not at all" and he puts it on the table and comes over to watch me in the kitchen, sitting down on one of the stools at the bar counter. Emma comes over, finding the current "Ninja Turtle" show boring and she climbs up next to Richard. He looks at her "so did you have a good sleep, Emma? You were really tired last night".

She beams at him "Uhu....... Mum said you had to carry me to bed".

"I did".

Emma studies him for a minute "why didn't you sleep here? Mum has a big bed or we even have an extra bed down the hall here" and she points towards the guest room.

Richard blushes "uhm, because I thought I better go home to my own bed to sleep".

"But why?".

He is at a loss for words and I step in "because that is what Rich wanted to do, Emma, okay?".

Elliott pipes up from the couch "because Mum and Rich would have sex if he had slept in Mum's bed".

I about drop the scrambled eggs and Richard turns an interesting shade of pink and looks like he wants to bolt out of here. I try to remain calm and put the eggs on the table "Elliott...who told you that?".

"Brent at school, he told me that his mum and dad did sex and that is why he is having a baby sister".

Trying to stifle a laugh, I shoot Richard a look and his mouth is twitching. "Well, that is sort of true, Elliott, but just because you sleep in the same bed, doesn't mean that you have to have sex".

He gets up and comes over "yes it does, Brent says that all moms and dads do it, especially when they kiss each other a lot, like you and Rich do" and his eyes go big "and you know, Mum....it is so gross, because the dad puts his....". 

I cut him off "okay....lets not talk about that right now, Elliott, but Mum will be happy to talk to you about it later, okay? Breakfast is ready and your little sister is not ready to hear about this yet". I glance at Emma, but she is sort of in her own little world, doodling on a piece of paper laying by the phone.

He shrugs "okay..." and he shutters "but it is so gross".

Richard and I share a look and we all sit down at the table to eat. Bacon, eggs, hashbrowns and toast. I get up to get the tea and pour it in Richard's cup, he gives me a smile "thank you".

"Your welcome" and I get myself some coffee. We eat for a little while, everyone is quiet, we must all be starving. All of a sudden Elliott exclaims "Happy Birthday, Rich....yesterday".

"Thanks, Elliott, that is nice of you to remember" and he touches his arm and smiles at him.

Emma jumps up and down in her seat "Happy Birthday, Rich" and she turns to me all excited "did you give him our present, Mum, did he like it, is he going to come with us?".

I get out of my chair "no, I totally forgot since we had to go to the hospital.......be right back".

Bringing back a flat envelope, I hand it to Richard "Happy Birthday from us and don't feel obligated".

He takes it, briefly brushing his fingers against mine "thank you, but you didn't have to get me anything" and he lifts an eyebrow to the pink and black lace ribbon wrapped around it. He opens it and pulls out an airline ticket.

"It is a totally refundable ticket to Thanksgiving in Kentucky, my parents would love to meet you" and I gesture to the kids "it was their idea, they really want you to come if you can and feel like it".

Richard is speechless for a minute and then looks at Emma and Elliott, breaking into a grin "sure...I would love too" and he leans over to kiss me "thank you, it is a bit much". He hesitates for a second before getting up and hugging them both "thank you, that is very thoughtful of you to think of me and wanting me to come".

Emma jumps on her chair "yeah, Rich is coming with us".

I reach out an arm "Emma, please don't fall off the chair, honey".

Elliott looks so pleased "you will love the farm, it is awesome".

We finish eating and then Richard helps me clean up the kitchen. 

The kids run off to play, but come back in and Elliott pipes up "Mum, can we go play with Claire and Martin if they can? Pretty please? Since we can't go riding".

"I guess, but you have to come straight back if they are not home, okay?".

"Okay, Mum...thanks" and they run out the door.

I explain to Richard "the kids next door....they are about the same age and go to the same school".

"That's nice".

"Oh, I know, their parents have helped so much over the past three years, picked up the kids in a pinch etc.".

I get a little nervous and he picks up on it right away "Lauren....what's the matter?".

My eyes dart to him and then to the couch "can we talk....I wasn't planning on the kids leaving, but since they did.....".

"Sure" and we sit down and he reaches for my hand "what is it, love?" and he can tell I am wrestling with this, so he rubs his thumb over my hand "you know, you can tell me anything, right?".

I take a deep breath "so one of the reasons I couldn't sleep yesterday was that I got thinking....about all the things we talked about and shared with each other yesterday and one thing struck me and sent me kind of into a panic........so I have to be upfront and tell you that...." another deep breath.

More reassuring from him "it's okay, Lauren......".

"...I can't have any more kids...got my tubes clamped off when I had Emma via c-section".

Richard scoots closer and reaches for my face, cupping my chin "that's it?".

I look down "yeah, so when you talked about wanting to have kids and your last girlfriend dumping you because she didn't.....I had to to tell you and you can decide if you want to continue this or....." and I feel my eyes well with tears.

He is right next to me and pulls me in, holding my head in his hands and staring at me with those piercing blue eyes "Lauren, listen to me....that was then, this is now and our relationship is different......I want you, I want to be with you and see where this takes us. You have kids and they are great and by some miracle they seem to like me ok and let me be part of their lives a little. Got it, I want to be with you and I want you".

I nod and sniffle, letting him wipe a couple of tears of my cheeks with the pads of his thumbs "okay...I just didn't know how strongly you felt about the kid thing".

"It's is fine and I sort of figured......and I am not saying you are old......but when you told me you were 40, I thought you were likely done having kids one way or the other anyway". I laugh in relief and he pulls me in for a soft kiss.

"Yeah, I'm done....we figured two was good and when they had to take Emma c-section, it was easy to have it done".

He looks a little embarrassed "so what exactly did they do?".

"They placed these clamps on my fallopian tubes, so the egg can get to the uterus and the sperm can get to it either. Pretty simple and I haven't had any issues". I look at him "so since we are talking that stuff anyway and to avoid any awkwardness later....what do you have in mind for protection?".

He blushes "uhm....I figured just condoms.....".

"How about nothing? I used condoms with the other two guys and that was over a year ago and if you haven't been with anyone either, then.....".

"You sure? I don't mind....".

"I am sure, I can't get pregnant and I am not going to lie.....I like it better without" and I climb into his lap, straddling him, licking his lower lip "and I want to feel all of you".

Richard practically groans and captures my lips in a heated kiss, our tongues dueling. I tangle my hands in his hair and his hands roam my back and down to my behind, I feel the heat from his hands as he takes a firm grip on my rear, thrusting his hips. I am just wearing leggings and a loose top. I moan when his hardness rubs against me.

When we break for air, he growls "don't talk to me about that......do you have any idea how hard it was to me to go to sleep after leaving you last night?".

Our lips are still really close "probably as hard as it was for me, Rich" and I give him a dirty look "I finally had to find BOB...".

He bucks and whimpers "ohh god, don't tell me you used your vibrator".

"I had  no choice, I was too riled up".

He is breathless "probably as riled up as me".

Nibbling on his ear "so did you do anything about it?".

He gives me a lustful look "yes, if you must know.....in the shower".

It is my turn to moan loudly and I practically dry hump him, feeling myself get wetter by the second.

MEOW  MEOW

I get off his lap "next door neighbor, Krista" and I point a finger at him "don't move". Reaching for my phone on the counter, I read the text message and quickly types something back. I walk back to the couch and look at Richard, feeling an overwhelming desire as he sits there, cheeks flushed, lips swollen and red from kissing, his chest slightly heaving and a painful bulge in his jeans. I climb back in his lap.

He looks at me "are they kids ok?".

I smirk "it is your lucky day......she asked if they could take the kids to Ikea, they will be back in 3 hours".

Richard looks at me for a second and then the passion takes over, our mouths meeting in the age old dance, our tongues battling for control. My fingers are in his hair and then on his shirt, I yank it off him and can finally relish in his gorgeous chest. I run my hands over his strong muscles and my fingers caress his dark hair and I can't help but play with his nipples, earning a growl from him.

His hands go under my shirts and caress my breasts through my bra, making me arch into his hands, it feels so good. He reaches down and gently pulls my shirt off and looks appreciative at my lace covered breasts and dips down to lick the delicate skin between them. He fumbles with the clasp behind me for a second before finally getting it open and I shed my bra. My breasts spill out and he takes a sharp inhale of breath and then reaches up to touch them with his hands. It feels incredible and I moan as he kneads them. He twitches against my core and wetness pools between my legs and we meet in another heated kiss. Our chests touching, skin to skin for the firs time, it feels heavenly.

I scoot back on his thighs and reach down to take a firm hold on his bulging arousal and he pushes into my hands and we lock eyes, seeing the same lust and passion reflected back at one another. I rub him harder and moan from feeling how aroused he is and then get up, pulling on his hand "Rich....maybe we should take this upstairs to bed?".  


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the smut......kindly move along if that is not your thing and it will appear for the rest of this story, so consider yourself warned.

Richard gives me a lustful look "lead the way" and stands up, his jeans sporting a rather large bulge and he pulls me in for another heated kiss as he wraps his strong arms around me. Our chests are against each other and his chest hair tickles my breasts and I moan into his mouth. My hands roam over his naked back, relishing in feeling every muscles and his warm skin under my fingers. I move down to cup his strong behind and he presses into me, groaning as his erection strains in his pants. 

My hands tangle in his hair as he starts to place kisses down my throat and collarbone and he dips lower, licking the soft skin between my breasts before he moves his mouth over my nipples, finally latching on one of them and sucking gently, flicking his tongue. The sensation goes straight to my core and I arch my back "ohhh Rich....more please....". 

I feel him buck his hips against me and I snake one hand in between us, grabbing his cock through his jeans and rubbing, feeling the outline of his hard shaft. He twitches in my hand and I reach for his button, but he stops me, croaking "should we go upstairs?". We kiss again and I nod, before gathering my bra and our shirts, still holding on to his hand. I flip the lock on the front door before we start to walk upstairs.

He walks behind me and wraps his arms around me as we ascend the stairs, kissing my shoulder and petting my breast with his big hand. I moan and arch my back, stopping midway up and soon he has both hands caressing my sensitive breasts, drawing another moan from me "ohhh, it feels so good, Rich.....". Richard playfully bites my naked shoulder "I'll make you feel even better in a few minutes, I promise....".

We make it the rest of the way up the stairs and into my bedroom. I casually drop our shirts and bra on the chaise lounger by the window. I turn around to face him again and we meet in a fiery kiss, our hands all over each other and several moans and groans are heard, as we continue to explore each other. We both need more and he walks me backwards to the bed and I reach behind me to pull the comforter and sheet to the side. I sit down on the bed, his hands are on my naked shoulders, caressing softly and I yank him closer by hooking a couple of fingers in the waistband of his jeans. 

I look up at him, he looks delicious, his upper body on full display, his chest rising and falling with his breathing. I lean over and kiss his abs, feeling his muscles tense under my lips and I lick down the sparse hair under his belly button and pop his pants open and carefully unzip them. His breathing picks up and I push his pants down his hips, coming face to face with his straining erection. He is wearing a gray pair of boxer briefs, but little is left to the imagination, his thick shaft outlined and a wet spot forming where his swollen head is pressed against the fabric. I reach my hand out and cup him through his underwear, his breath getting hitched in his throat and he pushes into my palm and moans "Lauren...please".

Richard guides my hands to his hips and I take hold of the waistband of his briefs, slowly pulling them down, taking care to lift them over his cock and he sighs as it springs free. He is finally revealed to me and he is beautiful. I feel myself getting wetter with the thought of having that inside of me soon, he looks big and with just the right amount of girth. I inhale his aroused scent and watch as another drop of slick precum appears at the very tip and I can't help but stick my tongue out and swirling it around his head, catching the pearly drop and he groans "ohhhhh" and he tangles a hand in my hair. I wrap my hand around him, still marveling that something can feel so silky soft and hard as steel at the same time. Glancing up at him, I lick my lips and I see him swallow before I open my mouth and close my lips around his head, moving my tongue over him, around the edge of his head and sticking it in the indent on the underside. He groans and twitches in my mouth and I take him in a little deeper. I move my other hand to his sack, slowly rolling his balls and then popping off him for a second to lick a wide strip from the base, tracing the vein with my tongue, to the very tip before swirling my tongue around like licking an ice creme cone.

He pulls on my arm with the hand not tangled in my hair "Lauren....you gotta stop or this will be over...." and it turns into a moan as I swallow him deeper "ohhh god". I can tell he is not joking and remove my mouth. He wastes no time, kicking his pants and underwear all the way off and removing his socks. We lock eyes and he gives me a lustful look "it's your turn" and gently pushes me down on my back, leaning over me, planting a wet kiss on my lips and then taking hold of my leggings, pulling them off and leaving me in nothing but my lace panties.

Being almost naked makes me blush and I just automatically cover up a little with my arms, but he crawls onto the bed, laying down next to me and pulls me in for a soft kiss and and takes hold of my arm, moving it out of the way, whispering in my ear "don't cover yourself, Lauren....I want to see all of you........you are beautiful".

I mumble into his mouth "I've had two kids...I might not be what you are use to seeing".

Richard moves a strand of hair out of my face, gently touching my chin "you are perfect the way you are, soft in all the right places" and he emphasizes that by cupping my breast with his hand, kneading it softly and kissing me deeper. I moan and tug on his bicep, wanting him closer and he shifts, so he is over me and slowly lowering himself. I open my legs, wrapping them around him and we both moan when our bodies meet skin to skin and his hard cock comes to rest against my soaked panties. He grunts in my ear "fuck you are wet" and he can't help but thrust his hips against my core and I feel myself throb against him.

I grab his shoulder with one hand and the other tangles in his hair as we exchange another deep kiss. I arch my back, wanting more friction and breathes in his ear "ohhh Rich....more, please". I rock my hips against him and he twitches, letting out a strained groan and then he places sensual kisses down my throat and neck, slithering down my body, tracing a trails with his tongue. He licks each of my breasts and I whimper "ohh god..." when he latches onto one of my nipples with his mouth and petting the other nipple with his fingers. It goes straight to my core and I am dripping wet and throbbing in arousal.

Richard grins before he keeps moving south, his palms touching over my stomach and he starts to pull down my panties with one hand and kisses my c-section scar when it is revealed as he removes my underwear, I lift my hips so he can slide them all the way off. I am so aroused and he hasn't even touched me below the waist yet, but he gets there quickly as he coaxes my legs apart and he lets out a strangled grunt when he sees how glistening wet I am for him. 

He is kneeling between my legs and his hands are on my thighs and he moves up my inner thigh with one hand and then runs a couple of fingers over my folds and over my clit. I moan and forcefully grab his hand with mine, holding him to me and I practically grind against him. He gets the hint and spreads his fingers, trying to cover more of my sensitive skin and then he tentatively slips a finger into my opening and he grunts when he feels how I grip him. He rubs his thumb over my clit, feeling it swell and throb under his touch and my breathing speeds up and I feel the orgasm building in the spit of my stomach.

I pull on his arm and look at him, panting "Rich...I want you inside of me, please...".

He leans over me, his hand still busy and he kisses my lips again "I want you to come first, I want it to be good for you".

Purring in his ear, I reach for his erection "it will be better with you inside me.....please, I need you to fuck me with this beautiful cock".

He finally moves his hand from me, looking at me as he licks his fingers and our lips crash together and I taste myself on his tongue. He moves into position and I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him closer. He is so hard and I rotate my hips until the tip of his cock gets caught on my entrance and he feels it, pushing in a little, slowly easing his way inside. His wide head spreads my walls wide open and we both moan and cling to each other as he slides all the way to the hilt. His head is buried in the crook of my neck and he breathes in my ear through gritted teeth "fuck, Lauren....you feel good....so tight" and he squeezes his eyes shut, holding still, trying really hard not to shoot his load right then and there. 

I wrap my arms around his shoulders, just holding him and he finally lifts his head and we share another kiss. I touch his chin "you ok?".

He gives me a little smile "yeah, just didn't want it to be over right then, that would be embarrassing".

"It would have been ok..." and we kiss some more, just enjoying being physically connected and feeling this close to each other.

Shifting my hips a little, I draw him even deeper inside of me and he lets a few curse words fly and groans in pleasure "ohh god...this might not last long...".

"It's fine....I highly doubt this will be the only time we do this" and I grab his face, kissing him with passion.

I wiggle my pelvis and he gets the hint, slowly starting to thrust in and out of me. He feels incredible inside of me, filling me up and touching all the right place as he slides along my slick walls. He looks down at me and kisses me deeply, caressing my face "you are gorgeous, Lauren.....talk to me, what do you need from me to get there...".

We are both breathing heavy and I move my hands down his back, taking hold of his behind and lifting my hips a little "just keep doing what you are doing, Rich....ohhhh, right there, ohhh" and he rubs against my clit just right and I clench my inner muscles around him. He is watching me, picking up the speed a little, grunting with each thrust "come for me, love" and I do, my orgasm taking over, wrecking through my body. He pounds harder and I arch my back as I convulse around his hard shaft, letting out a deep moan "ohhhh, ohhhh, Rich!" and I am sure I leave marks on his shoulder with my nails as I enjoy wave after wave of deep pleasure.

Richard feels me contract around him and that is all it takes for him to reach climax along with my loud moans. He follows me over the edge with a few more erratic thrust, gushing hot deep inside me with a final, satisfied growl "ohhh fuck yeah..." and he collapses on top of me.

Clinging to each other for a few minutes, we both try to come down from the high and get our breathing under control. We are both spent, I don't remember the last time I got fucked this good. He breathes in my ear "bloody hell that was good....." and he finally lifts his head, our eyes meeting and I give me a smile "you can say that again, Rich" and our lips find each other in a tender kiss. He nuzzles my neck and I snuggle into him, holding him close, my legs wrapped around him and he is still buried inside me.

We exchange a few more soft kisses and I feel him going soft and starting to slip out of me. He feels it too and looks at me "I'm afraid I am about to leave a mess on your bed". I kiss him again and point to the bedroom drawer "it's alright, but if you can reach it, there is towel in the toy drawer".

"The toy drawer?" and he stretches to open it, stopping for a second when he eyes fall upon a few colorful toys hidden under the towels "ohhh". He grabs a towel and shuts the drawer before carefully pulling out and tenderly cleaning me up and the stickiness left from our lovemaking. He tosses the towel in the bathroom and lays back down, pulling me close, my head resting on his shoulder.

I listen to his steady heartbeat and trace lazy circles on his chest. I glance up at him "does the toys bother you? You looked surprised....".

He presses his lips to my head and breathes in my hair "no, not at all, Lauren......it's just..." and he pauses, so I prop myself up on an elbow to watch his face, seeing the faint blush as he continues "it's just such a turn on for me..." and he looks directly at me "this might sound silly, but I have never dated anyone that admitted to actually owning or using vibrator".

Giving him a reassuring smile, I lean down to kiss him "it's not silly, just a fact and I bet most of your girlfriends owned one or got herself off without....sex is a natural thing".

"I know" and he pauses again "I am just not use to anyone just talking about it like that" and he grins "I about choked when Elliott started talking about the birds and the bees this morning".

I laugh too "well, we are lucky we got any eggs to eat, I about dropped them when he said that, but it is ok.....I'll have to talk to him about it later. I have always believed in being pretty frank with my kids, called body parts their proper names and all that stuff".

Richard looks at me with tenderness and caress my cheek with his hand "you are a good mom".

It is my turn to blush "thank you, I try...".

"And you are doing a brilliant job" and he pulls me into his arms, capturing my lips in a passionate kiss "I mean it, Lauren...".

I snuggle close and enjoy the heat radiating from his skin and he reaches down to get the sheet and comforter, covering us both as we settle in each others arms. It doesn't take very long before we are both out cold.

 

DING      DONG         DING     DONG       KNOCK        KNOCK        KNOCK

I wake up with a startle and so does Richard, both of us sitting up and looking at each other. His hair is a little ruffled and I am sure mine is no better. We hear Elliott's faint voice through the door "Mum!! The door is locked, open it!".

Scrambling out of bed "shit...he will go get the key hidden in the flowerbed", I look for my panties and stifle a laugh when Richard almost falls out of bed in his eagerness to get dressed. He locates his underwear and pulls it on and I give him the rest of his clothes and push him in the bathroom "get dressed in there, I'll just tell them you are using the restroom". He nods and then gives me a smile, quickly pulling me in for a passionate kiss. I open my mouth to him, our tongues wrapping around each other and I reach for the front of his boxer briefs, feeling his cock hardening under my fingers and he breaks away with a grunt "fuck....don't".

I give him a wicked grin, rubbing him one last time before letting go "who said they were getting old? That is pretty good for an old man if you ask me".

He swats my behind "shut up, Lauren....and go get dressed, unless you want to explain our lack of clothing to the kids".

The door clicks open down stairs and Richard gives me a slightly panicked looked as I close the bathroom door. I hurry and pull on my leggings, bra and shirt. 

Emma's voice is carrying up "Mum! Where are you?".

I run my fingers through my hair and walks down the stairs "I'm right here....sorry the door was locked".

They both look at me and Elliott speaks up "your hair looks funny, Mum".

"I know, Rich and I were tired and had a nap, that is why we didn't hear you guys"

Emma looks around "where is Rich? I want him to read me a story".

"He is upstairs using the bathroom in mom's room, he will be down in a few minutes. How was Ikea?".

"It was tons of fun, Mum" and Elliott gestures with his hands "we got to play in the playland and we had a snack".

"That was nice of them to take you guys, did you say thank you?" and we walk in the kitchen, so I can find my phone and text Krista and say thanks.

Emma gives me a look "of course we did, you always remind us".

"Yes, I do, because it is important to be grateful when others do nice things for you".

Richard comes in, looking a little flustered and he gives me a big smile and can't help but come over, gathering me in his arms and giving me a warm kiss, whispering in my ear "hey". I blush and giggle when his lips brush against my neck.

Elliott looks at us and makes a face, muttering "disgusting" before he leaves the room. Emma is studying us with curiosity and then finally speaks her mind "why are you guys always hugging and kissing?".

Richard is still holding me in his arms and I look at her "because when grown ups really like each other, they do that" and he surprises me when he ads "and I really, really like your Mum". He lets go of me and crouch down to Emma's level, looking her in the eyes and touching her arm "does is bother you we do that?".

"No....I was just wondering" and she throws her arms around him "I really like you".

He hugs her back and my heart melts a little when he squeezes her "I like you too, Emma".

She lets go and pulls on his arm "now, can you come read me a story, please?".

He laughs at her sudden change of subject, but gets up and looks at me "probably, unless your Mum has something for me to do?".

I shake my head "no, go ahead, I need to plan our dinner menu for next week and then maybe we need to hit the store. Want to eat with us tonight? I assume you are still going to your folks tomorrow so they can celebrate your birthday?".

"Yeah, I am and dinner would be brilliant, thank you" and he is dragged to the couch to read princess stories for a while.

Pulling out my menu planner, I plop down by the kitchen bar and start to figure out what we will be eating, kind of keeping in the back of my mind that we will likely have someone extra for dinner all week. Richard shoots me little smiles from the couch once in a while until Emma pulls on his arm to remind him to keep reading.

I get done making a grocery list and get up and stretches, popping my neck and shoulders. Richard gets off the couch and comes over, placing his fingers on my neck "does it hurt?".

"No, just a little stiff" and I make a satisfied noise when he starts to rub it, slowly working those stiff muscle, loosening them up.

He stands behind me, his arms going around my waist and his warm lips on my cheek "better?".

I take hold of his hands on my waist, intertwining our fingers and I lean into him "much, thank you".

"Should we go to the store?" and I nod. We get the kids and drive over to the supermarket. I am buying most of the stuff for the week and it is so nice to have an extra set of hands to help carry it all in and put it away.

We have dinner and after a little TV time and more reading, the kids are finally in bed, asleep. Richard and I find ourselves on the couch with tea and a sweet chocolate treat. He is sitting on one end and has me between his legs, my back against his chest and his arms around me. I sigh in contentment "this is nice, Rich" and he mumbles in my hair "I know, Lauren.....I really don't want to leave".

"Then don't..." and I turn my head to kiss him.

He groans "don't tempt me.....nothing I would rather do than sleep next to you tonight, but I don't have any toiletries and I am expected at my folks for brunch, so need to leave early" and he pauses and I move a little to face him, sensing he is about to say something important. We lock eyes and he hesitates "besides...I am not sure the kids are ready for me to share your bed yet......I think we need to take it slow, let them get use to the idea of me being here before they see me in bed with you".

I touch his face "you are right, Rich.....and thank you for putting them first, but just know you are more or less expected here for dinner every night this week unless you have plans".

He grins and kisses me "I wouldn't want it any other way" and he smirks and wiggle his eyebrow at me "and just because I am not sleeping here yet, that doesn't mean we can't find a way to do bed related activities...".

I suck on his lower lip "such as...".

Richard grabs my face with both his hands, kissing me with force "such as me making your scream my name as you come around me" and we both moan as he pulls me flush against him.

We make out for a bit before he glances at the clock on the walls and sighs, pulling away reluctantly "I better go or I will be out of it tomorrow at my parents".

I stand up and give him a hand "we don't want that and I can't have you falling asleep driving to see them either".

We walk to the door and he gets his jacket, putting it on and pulling me into his arms, kissing me deeply and he looks at me "I had a lovely time....." and he wiggles an eyebrow.

I grin and kiss him back "me too, Rich...it was very special".

"Bye, love...I'll call you tomorrow when I get back".

"Okay, Rich and please tell your parents hello even though they don't know me".

"I will and they will get to know you soon, I promise" and he kisses me one last time before he reluctantly leaves.

Slowly closing the door, I sigh and then pick up a few things in the kitchen, putting our tea cups in the dishwasher before going upstairs and getting ready for bed. I climb into bed, smiling at the memories of that took place here a few hours ago and feeling my body remembering too. I scroll my phone for a few minutes, catching up on the news and twitter.

A text pops up from "Rich" and I click on it "I miss you already, love...wish I was snuggled up to you in bed".

I quickly text him back "I miss you too, Rich......wish you were here. Please get some sleep! XOXO Lauren".

"Ok, night <3 Rich" and I smile before sending a heart back to him. I put my phone on the nightstand and snuggle into the sheets, soon drifting off to sleep.

 


	8. Chapter 8

Richard is driving north towards Leicester and his parents home, quietly cursing that dinner was changed to brunch due to his brother's other obligation today. His thoughts keep wandering to yesterday and the time we spent together, the passionate lovemaking, the noises and the feeling of being united with another human being. He sighs....his body craves that warm, soft body again. He wills himself to think about other things and actually starts to run through his lines as John Thornton, to try and block the feelings he is having out of his mind.

He swings into his parents driveway and parks his car next to his brother's and gets out, walking up to the front door, ringing the door bell. His mom opens the door and throws her arms around him "Richie! Happy Birthday, sweetie". He hugs her back and kisses her cheek "hi mum, thank you" and he walks in, saying hi to his dad, his sister in law and his brother, that pulls him in for a bear hug "Happy Birthday, little brother".

"Thanks" and he bends down to hug his nephew, that jumps into his arms "Uncle Rich, Happy Birthday". Richard hugs him tight "thank you, how is my favorite nephew?".

"Good" and he jumps down and is off to play with some cars over on the floor.

Richard's mom calls everyone to the table for a big brunch and they sit down and enjoy a nice meal together. He loves being with his family, but feels a tiny ache in his heart, wishing someone else was sitting next to him, sharing this. Like on cue, his brother looks at him from across the table "so...mum said you had a date on Friday, that is why you couldn't make it up that day....".

He feels himself blush "yeah, I did....".

His brother grins "come on, Rich....you can't just leave it at that....who is she, how did you meet her, how was the date, will you see her again etc....come on, spill the beans, out with it" and he winks "and why are you blushing".

Richard feels his cheeks burning "I am not....." and he clears his throat, feeling all eyes are on him "well, her name is Lauren....she is a costume designer at BBC and we met there. She is lovely and I will see her again" and then he takes a breath before adding "and she has two kids".

His dad's eyes goes big, his mom looks at him with interest and his brother and sister in law look surprised. His dad finally breaks the weird silence "she is divorced?".

"No, dad.....she is widower, her husband died of cancer 3 years ago".

His sister in law looks at him "how sad...".

"I know, but Lauren is an amazing mom to Emma and Elliott and has done ok, she is one of the strongest people I have ever met".

His mom touches his hand "how old are they?".

"Emma is 5 and Elliott is 8" and he looks at his nephew "just like you".

Richard's brother is watching him "so have you spent any time with them?".

"Yeah, for the past 3 weeks or so....gone to the zoo, seen them at BBC, they come in after school, had dinner at their house".

His mom chimes in "you went to the zoo with them? By yourself?".

"No, Lauren went too....it was a family date" and he kind of likes the sound of that.

His brother smiles "wow, Rich.....you must really like her and them....you have had dinner at their house?".

"And brunch", which causes a raised eyebrow from his mom and a smirk from his brother, so he quickly adds "I didn't spent the night...it was yesterday. Lauren got called to the hospital during our date on Friday, Elliott fell out of a bunk bed at his grandparents and broke his arm, so we spent some time there, before I took them home".

His dad has been listening "so where do her parents live? In London?".

He looks at his dad, their relationship has always been a bit complicated, they don't always understand each other "it is actually her husband's parents, Lauren is from the States and her folks are still there" and he braces himself as he continues "I am going there in November for their Thanksgiving celebration....that was Lauren and the kids' birthday gift to me, a ticket".

His mom squeezes his hand "that is wonderful, Rich.....so when do we get to meet her and her children?".

"I don't know, Mum, it is still pretty new, but soon, I hope...".

Richard's brother grins "I'll be damned...my little brother finding an instant family....nicely done".

Giving his older brother a smile, Richard lifts his hand "well, lets just see how things go....nothing is set in stone and we don't know how this is going to play out".

"But you obviously like her and the kids well enough to travel with them to meet her folks".

Richard smiles like a fool "yeah, I do...I like her a lot".

His brother teases him some more and they talk a while longer until it is time to break up and his brother and family say goodbye to drive home. Richard stays, talking to his dad about what he is working on and odds and ends, world news. After a while he goes in search of his mom, finding her in the kitchen, making a meat pie for supper. She looks at him and smiles "got your chat in with your father?".

He leans on the kitchen counter "yeah, it was good and now he is reading the paper while watching football".

"Some things never change...." and she gives him a serious look "so how much do you really like Lauren, Rich?".

"I don't know, mum" and he runs a hand through his hair "a lot, probably more than I can ever remember liking anyone ever before......" and he gets a goofy grin on his face "she is beautiful, smart, funny, loving and I see how much she cares for her kids and I admirer her resilience and inner strength".

"Wow, Rich....don't think I have ever heard you speak at such length about anyone..." and she hesitates for a second "if you don't mind me asking, what exactly happened to you and Susan, the one you dated in New Zealand?".

He sighs "we just broke up......I brought up the fact I wanted kids and she was not ready for that, so it ended and she went home".

"Do you want kids with Lauren? She already has 2 and I assume she is close to your age".

"She is 40 and we discussed it" and he sounds a little sad when he goes on "she had her tubes clamped, she can't have any more".

"And you are ok with that?".

He looks at his mom "I honestly didn't know if I would be, but as we talked about it, I realized that I really want to be with her and the kid thing was secondary, besides.....she has Emma and Elliott and I understand they are part of the deal".

"Yes, they are.....once you become a parent, your kids come before anything else, so I am glad you are on the same page on that. She sounds lovely and I am really happy for you".

"She is.......I can't get enough of her".

"So what are you still doing here?".

"I don't want to be rude, Mum...you invited me for brunch, so I can stay and visit with you and dad for a while".

She is done folding the dough over the meat pie, so after washing her hands and drying them, she comes over and touches his face "Richie....drive back to London and go see her, you are obviously very much in love with her and I still remember how that feels, wanting to spent every waking moment with that person.....dad and I will be here and would love to have you bring her up when you feel the time is right".

Richard grins "you sure?".

"Yes, go see her".

He kisses her cheek and hugs her "thanks......I'll call you later this week and thanks for a lovely birthday brunch and the blue jumper, I like that a lot".

"Your welcome, sweetie" and he goes to say goodbye to his dad before jumping back in the car, trying not to speed back to London.

 

A little later:

I am hanging out on the couch with a cup of late afternoon tea, reading the latest fashion magazine and just relaxing. The kids are next door again, their yard is bigger than ours, so the playset is a big draw. My phone beeps and I reach for it, seeing a new message from *Rich* blinking and I click on it "Are you home?".

Biting my lower lip and smiling, feeling the familiar butterflies in my stomach, I quickly type back "yes" and within seconds of me hitting send, my phone rings and I answer it "Rich...are you back home?".

"No, but on my way" and there is a pause before he goes on "mind if I come over?".

Getting up from the couch, I take my tea cup in the kitchen "no, not at all....everything alright? Are you driving?".

Yes, but it's fine, my phone is over the car system and yes, everything is fine...." and his voice goes quiet "I just miss you".

I cant't help but grin like an idiot and I practically purr into the phone "I miss you too, Rich. How was brunch and your folks?".

"It was good, they want to meet you and the kids sometime.....not pressure, we can see when the time is right for that".

"Oh, that is nice, I would love to meet them and your brother and his family".

"Well, he is dying to meet you, I had to endure a fair amount of teasing today from him....he finds the entire thing very entertaining at my expense".

I laugh "sorry".

"It's alright, that is what brothers do, especially older ones. So how was your day?".

Sitting down at the counter, I play with a pen and look out the window "good, we had a lazy morning, the kids are next door right now and I had a little talk with Elliott about sex.......it was fine, I think he is a bit grossed out, but also kind of interested".

He coughs "oh boy, I'm glad that was you and not me having to have that talk".

"And we read a book too......I think it helps and it is not such a mystery how things work".

"There are books?".

"Yes, Mr. Armitage.......books made for kids, with drawings and things".

"Okay, I don't think I need to know anymore about that subject".

I giggle "why, Rich....are you embarrassed?".

His voice drops a little and sounds rough "no, I just better not drive and think about anything related to sex while talking to you...".

I purr "why?".

It's sounds like a strangled croak "because it bloody turns me on......I keep replaying what we did yesterday in my head and yeah....it is not good".

"I thought it was amazing, hot, passionate...".

Richard groans "Lauren...you know what I mean...it is not good for me to thin..." , I cut him off "I know what you mean, Rich....it is just fun to tease you a bit" and I add "but it was very good and hot".

"Please stop.....lets talk about something else".

"But I want to talk about having sex with you, it might be my new favorite topic" and I twirl a strand of my hair with my fingers "what's your favorite position?".

I am sure he is blushing in the car, I can hear something in his voice "what? No, stop......Lauren, I can't..." and the next is almost a whine "I just fucking want you".

"Oh, I know the feeling, but you didn't answer my question...".

He swallows loudly "if you must know, you on top" and he hesitates and I cut in "or what, Rich? Spit it out".

"Or me taking you from behind" and he grunts "okay, we gotta stop, my dick is about to burst out of my pants".

"Want to know how wet I am?" and I hear him breathing hard as I walk upstairs "I might need to change my underwear".

Richard groans "fuck, Lauren......are the kids still gone?".

"Very much so, since the weather is nice, they are playing outside next door".

"Okay....I hope your front door is open" and I hear the faint sound of a car door slamming and my front door opening and he hangs up.

"Lauren?".

I peak my head out of my room and see him at the bottom of the stairs "I'm up here".

Richard takes the stairs two steps at a time and pulls me into his arms, crashing his mouth on mine, pushing me against the nearest wall, devouring me. I kiss him back with as much passion and he grinds his hips against me, both of us moaning. We finally have to break for air and he looks at me, lust painted all over his gorgeous face "god, I want you, Lauren". "You are not the only one turned on" and I quickly close my door, locking it. Turning around, our eyes meet and he tosses his jacket on the floor and kicks off his shoes. I pull off my own shirt and walk over to remove his as well. I kiss his chest and lick his nipples, earning a groan from him. He cups my breast through my bra and I moan as my hands go to his jeans, popping the button and unzipping them. He kicks them off and I shed my leggins, leaving us in our underwear. 

He looks painfully hard, his cock straining and tenting the fabric, a wet spot forming in the very front. I push him back towards the bed and he lays down, I am over him right away and he unhooks my bra, my breasts spilling out right above him and he lifts his head to lick my nipples. I moan and then lower myself, my breasts touching his coarse hair on his chest. His big hands are caressing down my back and he slides them under my panties, grabbing my rear, pushing me against his hardness as I straddle him. 

We meet in another searing kiss and he manages to get a hand down the front of my underwear, fingering me and I buck against him when he rubs over my sensitive clit and spreads the moisture. I am so aroused and I want him now. I get rid of the offending panties, which gives him easier access to my dripping folds and I moan against his mouth as he enters me with his index finger, pushing in deep and pulling back out "Rich....ughhh...please" and I suck on his lower lip and basically grind against his hand. 

He flips us over and pulls off his briefs, tossing them on the floor and he turns to me, pulling me close and I reach down to wrap my hand around his cock, pumping it slowly and he pushes into my hand and swears when I run my thumb over his slick head "fuck", spreading his precum and he stares as I bring my fingers back up and proceeds to lick them, tasting his arousal, He covers my mouth with his, his tongue chasing mine in a wet kiss and his hand pushes into my wetness again. He enters me with two fingers, making me arch my back and when he starts to lightly thumb my clit, along with his fingers pumping in and out of me, it doesn't take long before I am convulsing around them in a powerful orgasm and I moan his name as I come "Richhh, ohhhhh".

I reach out to pull his face in for a hungry kiss and he is still caressing my walls, drawing it out as much as possible. His pupils are blown wide from seeing me come and when he finally slips his fingers from me, I sit up and push him on his back. I lick my lips when I see his erection, laying hard against his stomach, the swollen head glistening with precum and I lean down to lick around the ridge. He arches and moans, pulling on my arm, begging "Lauren....don't, I'm so close....." and I know what he wants.

Moving over him, I take hold of his cock, guiding him to my vagina and slowly slide down on him, feeling him filling me. He is big and so hard, but it feels so good. His eyes roll back in his head when out hips meet and he has a firm grip on my hips. I put my hands on his chest for some leverage and start to move, sliding up and down his hard shaft, making he groan and grunt in pure arousal. 

I look down at him and our eyes meet, he is panting and manages to huff out in between breaths "you are gorgeous, Lauren.....ohhhh, you feel amazing, love" and I speed up a little, leaning forward and spread my legs more, sinking a little deeper and my clit rubs against his pubic bone every time I slide down. He realizes what I am doing and he reaches up and circle my nipple with his fingers, stimulating me that way and it goes straight between my legs. He rolls his hips with mine and I can't help but moan "ohhh, urgghh.....harder, Rich.....ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhh, fuck yes....ohhhh" and I climax with a sob. He pulls me close, into his arms and picks up the pace, sliding his hands down my naked back and grabbing onto my behind as he thrust up into me and I feel him go even harder and he comes, shooting his hot cum deep inside of me with a growl in my ear "fuck, Lauren.....ohhhh god" and we cling to each other, covered in sweat.

He holds me close and I nuzzle his neck, kissing it and finally lifting my head, looking at him and seeing his satisfied grin. He moves my hair our of my face with his hand, cupping my chin and we meet in a tender kiss and I break into a smile "you needed that, huh?".

Richard lets out a breath "oh god yes, I have been aroused all day thinking about how good you felt last night....you are amazing".

I touch his face with my fingers, feeling his sideburns and stubble "so are you....I love how you fuck me, Rich" and I lick his lower lip and he pulls me in for a deep kiss and groans. We enjoy the intimacy and I reach for a towel in the drawer as he slips from me, cleaning us both up and he pulls me in for another kiss and hug. 

His forehead is against mine and he sighs "I wish we could just stay here in bed, but I gather we better get dressed before the kids return?".

"Probably" and I give him a hand and we both get up, slowly getting dressed, reaching out to each other for a caress, a touch or a kiss.

I am standing by my closet, fixing my hair and he comes up behind me, wrapping his strong arms around me and I snuggle into his chest. He kisses my neck "you are beautiful, love".

"Hmmm....." and I turn my head to kiss him "you are pretty handsome yourself" and I wiggle out of his embrace "want some afternoon tea? I'll fix supper in a while if you want to eat with us?".

"Sure, that would be nice" and we walk downstairs to the kitchen.

Putting water on the stove for tea, I turn to smile at him as he plops down on a chair by the counter "want a biscuit with it or anything?".

He is about to answer, but the front door busts open and Elliott comes stomping in, looking like a mad hornet, muttering "stupid....he knows I can't do that right now" and he walks over to the couch and sits down to pout.

Richard and I look at each other and both head towards the couch. I sit down next to Elliott and Richard next to me. 

Elliott looks at us both and nods at Richard "hey Rich".

"Hey buddy, you ok?".

"No, Martin is being rude and mean to me and I don't like him anymore" and he crosses his arms in defiance.

I touch his arm in the cast "what happened?".

"We were playing in their sand box and everything was fine, but then he wanted to go play on their play set and I can't really do that right now. So I got mad and went home".

"Well, Elliott, maybe Martin didn't realize why it would be hard for you to play there......he is not use to you having your arm broken, honey".

He glares at me "maybe.....but still".

The kettle whistles in the kitchen and I get up "just sit here and cool off for a bit, I am sure Martin didn't mean to be rude and then maybe you can go back over and you guys can talk about it, ok?".

He nods and I touch Richard's shoulder as I walk by, he quickly grabs my hand and kisses it as I speak "I'll be right back.....I'll make tea" and I walk to the kitchen.

Richard reluctantly lets go of my hand, but then turns his attention to Elliott "I'm sorry your friend is not being kind".

"It's ok.....Mum is probably right, he forgot my arm is broken....I forget too and then I go to do something and then I remember.....".

"That's no fun.....".

"No, but at least it is not all the way broken. My friend at school fell of his bike and they had to cut his arm open and put screws in the bone and it looked so gross and he said he hurt really bad. Have you ever broken your arm, Rich?".

"No, but I hit myself in the head with Orcrist when we were filming the Hobbit and it cut my head and it was bleeding".

Elliott's eyes get big "really?".

"Yeah and then another time I hit myself in the face with the shield and my teeth cut into my lip, that hurt really bad".

"Whoa....cool".

Richard laughs "not really....it was really painful".

Elliott shutters "I don't like pain".

"Me neither......but it is our body's way of telling us that something is wrong, just like our bodies can tell us when something is good, when we feel happy or something tastes or feels good".

"Like sex?".

I have been listening and I look up when Elliott blurts that out and I see Richard turn red and stammers "uhmm......I...I..guess so......you talked to your mum about that today didn't you?".

Elliott looks straight at him "yeah, we did and we read a book....mum said it makes grown ups feel really good and makes them happy".

Richard hesitates for a minute "it does......".

"And then sometimes a baby will be born".

"Sometimes.....".

"Yeah, but my mum can't have a baby anymore, her stomach is broken" and he studies Richard "do you like sex?".

The tea is done and I make my way back over, seeing Richard turn even redder "uhm...well....yeah...I...uhm....." and he clears his throat, scooting closer to Elliott to give me room "as your mum said, it is something very special that grown ups can share, it is a way for them to feel close and makes them happy. It is a way they show love to each other".

"Do you love my mum?" and he stares intently at Richard.

I put the tray down and I open my mouth to say something as I sit down, but Richard reaches for my hand, lacing our fingers together and looks back at Elliott "yes, I do, Elliott...very much" and he pauses before continuing "I really hope you are okay with that.....and I want you to know that I really care about you and Emma too".

Elliott smiles "we really like you too, you are always nice to us and talk to us".

Richard smile back at him "well, you are the most important thing in your Mum's life and that will never change, you will always come first, even before me and that is ok...she loves you and Emma so much".

"I know" and he gets up "if you will excuse me, I think I will go back over and talk to Martin for a minute....".

We both nod and Elliott hugs Richard "thanks for talking to me, you are like Mum that way.....".

Richard hugs him back "anytime, buddy...".

"Bye, Mum....I'll be back" and he hugs me and runs out the door.

I look at Richard and lean in to kiss him "well done.....you were amazing talking to him.....you answered his questions honestly".

Richard returns the kiss and then looks at me "thanks...I don't think I have ever been this nervous in my life, when he brought up sex I was about to faint".

"You did really well, experts say to be honest, but just answer their questions, don't volunteer any more information than the child is asking for and you did just that".

I look down for a minute and he reaches for my chin, lifting it and saying softly "what Lauren?".

"Did you mean it?".

"What, love?".

I almost whisper "that you love me?".

He looks directly into my eyes with his blue ones "yes, I do......" and he hesitates for a second "I love you, Lauren.....sorry it came out this way, but when Elliott asked, I couldn't lie".

"I love you too, Rich" and we both break into grins and he pulls me into his arms and we share a tender kiss, just holding onto each other, both thinking about what this means for both of us.

 


	9. Chapter 9

The Next Day:

I am running a bit late this morning, the kids had a hard time getting up and we barely got any breakfast before I rushed them out the door and dropped them off to school. Driving towards work, I can't help but smile, remembering the weekend and Richard, his warm kisses, his hot body pressed against mine as we made love. He is amazing. He stayed for supper last night and then helped with homework and even read a bedtime story before the kids went to bed. We sat on the couch after, just sipping tea and kissing and holding each other. He had reluctantly gone home with a final kiss.

Swinging into the big parking lot, I find a spot in the back, next to his car and I rush out, grabbing my purse and cursing, I hate being late for anything. I know they are shooting on a built set inside today: the story goes that one of Higgins' adopted children got hurt working at the mill and is rushed in the Thornton home for care and the doctor is called. I walk briskly to the costume department and enters, greeting Ellen as she looks up from her table "so sorry....kids had a rough time getting up".

She smiles "it's fine...we are all caught up and the actors already got their costumes for the day. How was your weekend, dear? Richard looked extremely happy this morning, he was beaming".

I blush and she gives me a knowing look and I nod "it was good.....great, except Elliott broke his arm Friday night".

"Yeah, I heard Richard tell Dani about it when she asked how your date went. Is he ok?".

"He'll be fine, cast comes off hopefully in 5 weeks".

Looking at my desk, Ellen brings me a jacket "run that down to building 4 would you? It is for Brendan, I think we might have sent the wrong one".

"Okay" and I walk off, down the hall and out the door, crossing some open space to get to the other building. My boots make a distinct sound as I walk, my floral skirt swishing around my legs. I open the door quietly and enter another hall, making it to the door outside the set, seeing the light is green, so I open it.

Walking in, my eyes fall upon what looks like the Thorton's living room and everyone is standing in it. I hold up the coat and Brendan skips down "thank you, Lauren...I am dying trying to fit in this one" and he winks "I guess things went well on your date".

I blush "perhaps.....".

"Whatever......you bedded him" and he grins when he sees my raised eyebrow "Rich is practically bouncing off the walls today with happiness, it is disgusting really....." and he kisses my cheek "you deserve someone like him, he is one of the really good ones" and he goes over to change coats.

Richard has been looking and I give him a big smile and he returns it, quickly saying something to the Dani and the director as I wave and turn to leave.

He calls out "Lauren...wait" and I stop, he comes up and then takes my hand, dragging me outside the door and into his arms. He kisses me with passion and I groan as I give into his kiss and he presses me against the wall. He is wearing Thorton's white shirt, but the sleeves are rolled up and no cravat since he was inside his own home. He strong hands are around my back as he hugs me tight and he smiles when we finally break "hey".

I reach for his neck and playfully run my hand down the opening of his shirt and I touch his bare arm with my other hand, feeling the hair raise and goosebumps forming. I kiss him again and suck on his lower lip and he grunts, doing his best to devour me.

Breaking into a smile, when our lungs require air, I nuzzle his neck "hey yourself, Rich and what was all this for?".

"I bloody missed you".

"We saw each other yesterday".

"I know, but I woke up by myself and it felt lonely".

I hold on to him, breathing in the scent that is so him, sighing in contentment by being in his arms "I know, Rich....Saturday we will wake up together".

He nuzzles my neck, kissing my ear and it makes me shiver "I can't wait" and he looks at me, hooking his hand around my face, cupping my chin and running his thumb under the sensitive skin under my ear "I'll see you at lunch, yeah?".

"Yes, see you at lunch" and we kiss again.

He rests his forehead against mine "I love you, Lauren".

"Love you too, Rich" and we part, him swatting my behind in playfulness, before he heads back inside the set.

I wander back to my work station and concentrate on getting a couple of dresses finished the next few hours, sort of in my own little world and I forget time and place for a while. I look up in surprise when people start heading to lunch and I get up and stretch. Most people have gone by now and the door opens and Richard comes in, still dressed like casual Thornton. I give him a smile and he comes over, looking around to make sure we are not offending anyone and he pulls me into his arms, giving me a tender kiss "hey, love....ready to go to lunch".

I let my lips linger on his for a few seconds more, enjoying how they feel and the taste that is uniquely his "yeah, I'm starving.....didn't even realize what time it was until most everyone had gone".

He takes my hand and we walk out the door, but he leads me left, which is opposite the cafeteria. I pull on his arm "Rich, where are you going? Lunch is that way".

"Not today" and he looks a little embarrassed "I have something else in mind, hope you don't mind".

"I don't, lead the way" and we walk down the hall to the dressing rooms. There are some private ones and then some bigger rooms with small changing stalls. I know he has a dressing room here, but just stayed away, it is his work space in a way and didn't want to disturb him there. Richard leads me to a door and opens it up, gesturing "welcome to my little place" and I walk in. The room is a descent size and they put in bathrooms in a few of them when they remodeled a couple of years ago and it looks like he got one of those. There is a chair, a couch, a coffee table, another table with lights and a tall mirror on the wall. A window opens up into the courtyard with the lawn and trees, but he has the blinds closed right now.

My eyes fall on the wood floor and the quilt currently spread out, a picnic basket and a couple of glasses sitting next to it. I turn and look at Richard as he closes the door. He gives me a sheepish look "now please don't make fun, Lauren and it might be a bit cheesy, but I wanted to have you to myself for lunch today, so I figured a picnic would help me do that" and he blushes.

I walk over to him and touches his chin and reach for his hand with my other hand "I don't think it is cheesy at all, Rich.......it is very sweet and romantic...." and we exchange a soft kiss.

He pulls me down on the quilt with him and he opens the basket, pulling out a bottle "I got sparkling apple cider instead of wine, I figured we were still on the job and it is only noon" and he opens it, pouring the golden liquid into the glasses and handing me one "cheers and thanks for agreeing to this silliness".

I kiss him softly before taking a sip of the cider "it is not silly, Rich, stop apologizing or feeling weird about it.....it's very nice" and I kick off my boots and he takes he shoes off, so we can get more comfortable. The quilt is very thick and padded, making for a soft place to sit even though we are on the floor. "When did you have time to arrange all this?".

Richard grins "after you came on set, I just really wanted to be alone with you, so a couple of phone calls later, turns out Harrod's delivers from their food department. I first called the cafeteria here and asked if they could help, but sweet Harriet told me about Harrod's and then I had to text Ellen in secret to ask if she could find a quilt for me to borrow".

Scooting closer to him, I touch his chin, feeling his prickly stubble under my fingertips and I lean in to gently nibble on his lower lip "it is very lovely and romantic, Rich" and our eyes meet for a second before he really captures my lips with his, giving me a deep, wet kiss, his tongue wrapping around mine. We both groan and his hands go up to cup my face and he deepens the kiss even more. I feel the familiar tingling of arousal in the pit of my stomach and I can't help but run one hand under his open, white shirt, feeling his chest hair and scraping my thumb over his nipple, making it harden under my touch.

He moves even closer, wrapping his arms around my torso and our upper bodies meet as he continues to devour me with his wonderful soft mouth. I tangle my hands in his hair and he moans into my mouth "ohhh, I want you, Lauren...so much..." and he makes a move, but manages to knock my glass of cider over in his eagerness, spilling the golden liquid on the floor, luckily not on the quilt. We break apart and he mutters "shit..." and I giggle, quickly getting up, grabbing a towel from the makeup table on the wall and handing it to him. I reach for his glass, putting it on the small table by the couch.

Our eyes meet as I turn and he reaches a hand out to me and I take it, getting gently pulled back down on the quilt and I climb into his lap. I push his legs out, so I can properly straddle him and wrap my arms around him. Our faces are millimeters apart and I purr "where were we?".

He gives me a lustful look and then crashes his lips against mine again, his strong arms going around my torso and he pulls me as close as he can, mumbling into my mouth "I think I was trying to seduce you" and we devour each other. He is wearing Thornton's wool pants, which feels slightly scratchy against my naked thighs as I settle in his lap, my loose skirt just draping around my legs. The fabric is quite thick, but I can still feel him go rock hard against my panties and we both moan as I rubs myself against his bulge and his hands slide down my back, to my behind, which he gently kneads and holds firmly as he thrust against me.

I grin "I don't think you have to seduce me, you could just ask".

He lifts an eyebrow "like how?".

Undoing the buttons on his shirt, I run my hands over his bare chest as the fabric falls to the side and I nib on his collarbone and then kiss his chest, licking a nipple, feeling it peak as my tongue swirls around it and he bucks his hips and I moan against his chest "like this..." and I kiss back up his chest and neck, stopping to suck on his lower lip and then licking his ear lobe, whispering in his ear "I really want you to fuck me, Rich....hard".

He groans and gives me a painful look and his hands fumble with the buttons on the front of my shirt, his fingers trying to wrangle the tiny buttons undone. He finally manage and he pulls it off my shoulders, drawing in a deep breath before he cups both my lace covered breasts in his hands and dipping down to lick the top of each orb. I throw my head back and he kisses my skin "I can do that" and he reaches behind to unhook my bra, latching his mouth over a nipple as soon as my breasts spill out. It goes straight to my core and more wetness pool between my legs as he swirls his tongue around the sensitive peak.

I arch my back and roll my hips against his rock hard erection, making him grunt and scoot back on his thighs a little, so I can unbutton his pants. We kiss again and locking eyes, the passion evident and we both stand up, making short order of the rest of our clothing. I am pulling my skirt down and put it on the char and then feel his warm presence behind me, he comes up and pulls me against him, wrapping his arms around me and kisses my neck. I feel his hardness against my naked back and his hands on my hips, caressing and snaking a hand around, cupping my mound and rubbing a couple of fingers over my center through my panties. I grind into him, desperately wanting more friction and he moans in my ear, when his fingers touch the soaked fabric "fuck you are wet, baby".

Angling my head, so our lips can meet in a wet kiss, I croak out "all for you...I want you so bad, Rich...please". I reach back and caress his behind and naked hips as he continues to kiss my bare shoulder and then back up my neck, nibbling on my ear lobe, sounding husky "I want you as bad, Lauren.....this is all I have been thinking about all day.....to have you in my arms, naked" and he rubs his hands up my thighs and hooks a finger under my panties on either side and slide them down so I can kick them off.

Turning around, we meet chest to chest, skin against skin in a searing kiss. One of his hands goes behind my neck, holding my mouth close to his as the other goes up to cup my breast, softly kneading it in his palm. I arch into him and I have my hand on his rear, pulling him as close as I can and my other hand sneaks between us to close around his rock hard shaft and I pump a few times, earning a groan from him as I run my thumb over his swollen head "ughhh.....more, Lauren...please".

Richard takes my hand and walks us back on the quilt and sits down, pulling me with him and I push him down on his back and I eagerly climb onto his lap, straddling him. I have my hands on his chest and his arms slide up my thighs and I see him bite his bottom lip when I slide my throbbing, wet core over his cock a few times and he looks at me, his eyes blown wide with arousal and he mutters "fuck you turn me on..." and I lean down to kiss him again, our tongues wrapping around each other once more. His hands go up to caress each of my breasts again and he uses his thumbs to stimulate my nipples, which goes straight to my clit and I rub myself faster against him, coating him with my arousal. 

He can't help but thrust his hips and it makes me moan "ohhhh Rich.....".

"I know, love...." and we both know what we need. I lift myself up enough to reach for him, lining him up at my entrance and we look at each other as I start to slide down on his beautiful cock. He spreads me wide and it feels incredible, making me squeeze my eyes shut as our hips meet, both of us panting. He takes hold of my hips, gently guiding me as I start to move up and down his shaft in a slow rhythm, relishing in how good he feels inside of me and I spread my hips a little more, allowing him to sink in even deeper and leaning forward a little so my clit rubs against his pubic bone every time. He feels himself go even deeper and it makes him moan as I clench around him "ohhh god you feel good....".

My hands are still on his chest for some leverage and I pick up the speed a little, concentrating on how his cock feels inside of me and how my clit is being stimulated every time I slide against him. He is watching me, knowing I am getting closer and he tries to angle his thrusts to give me the most friction where I need it "that's it, love....come for me". My body is tensing up and a few more strokes and I am there, my body overcome with a powerful orgasm and I contract around him as I climax, arching my back and moaning in pure bliss "ohhh, ohhh, ohhhhhh Rich....fuck". I ride it out and he pulls me down, into his arms and he kisses me with passion "you are so beautiful when you come like that, riding my cock".

I return his kiss and then lifts my head to look at him, still feeling him rock hard inside of me. I kiss him again, my lips lingering on his " that was incredible....now it is your turn.....what would you like, Rich?".

"What do you like the best, Lauren....you never told me your favorite position?" and his hands lovingly run down my naked back and he looks at me with his piercing blue eyes, a small smirk in the corner of his lip.

I can tell he is serious and really wants to know, so I sit back up and pull on his arms "sit up" and he gives me a doubtful look, before he uses his arms for support and finally manages to sit up, huffing "I don't know about this.....remember you are dealing with an old man here....this is weird".

Lifting my weight off him for a second, I adjust my legs "trust me, Rich....you'll like it" and I move them, so they wrap around his behind and I get settled back, making him sink in deep again and our chests are now against each other, our faces really close. He moves his legs, so he has a bit of leverage and he gives me a grin when he realizes my breasts are right there, smack against his chest and close to his mouth. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and run my fingers through the hair on the back of his head and we kiss again as he brings one hand up to touch my breast, holding it so he can latch onto my nipple with his wet mouth.

I moan and it draws a deep, rumbling grunt from him when I move a little and clench my internal muscles around him "ohhh, fuck...that feels good".

"It would feel better if you would move those hips of yours, Rich" and I roll mine against him, a moan escaping his lips "a little demanding, are we?" and he brings his hands to my hips, one hand grabbing my behind and he starts to thrust in earnest, making us both moan as he slides in and out of me. I love the intimacy of this position and feeling so close to him. My hands are on his back, his shoulders and in his hair, drawing him closer and our mouths meet in several open mouth kisses and he can't help but lick my collarbone and breasts.

We lock eyes and I pant "good?".

Sweat is forming on his forehead and he picks up the pace a little, his breathing coming in ragged puffs "ohhh god, yes....fuck, Lauren...this is....ohhh" and I can tell he is close. I tighten my muscles around him when he slides in and he caresses one of my breasts with his big hand and has the the other firmly holding my behind as he pounds into me with force. I put my mouth next to his ear, whispering "harder, Rich...you feel so good, I love to have your big, hard cock fucking me like this....come for me". He grunts in approval of me talking dirty to him. A few more strokes and he goes even harder and I feel him pulse deep within me, shooting his load with a deep, satisfied moan "ohhh fuck yes!".

Richard holds me firmly to him as he continues to spasm inside me, his head is buried in the crook of my neck, his hot breath on my skin and I have both my arms wrapped tightly around him. We are deeply united like I have rarely been before and I think he feels the same way as we both slowly come down from this incredible high.

I murmur in his ear "uhmmm....that was amazing" and our lips meet in a tender kiss.

He cups my face and gives me a grin "I don't want to sound shallow here, but it was the best sex I have ever had" and he wiggles an eyebrow "you were right, this position is really, really good".

Kissing him again, I run my hands over his sweaty back "I told you.....".

He looks slightly embarrassed "I know, I guess I have just always done the same thing, never really been with anyone that was up for much experimenting".

Touching his face, I smile "it's ok, but that is part of the fun.......sex is suppose to be fun, not just about getting off" and I see him blush a little and I playfully bite his ear "even though getting off with you is pretty damn great".

He mumbles his agreement and kisses me again and then his eyes go wide as he looks down "shit!".

"What, Rich.....what is it?".

"The quilt......Ellen will kill me......".

We are still very much connected, but he is softening and will slip from me soon. I reach for the towel used to wipe my spilled drink earlier "it'll be fine....she might have known what you were up to, this fabric is stain resistant and repels moisture......lay back down and I think we can avoid a huge mess".

"Oh god, I hope she doesn't find out what we were doing, I would never be able to look at her again" and he does as he is told, lowering himself down as I loosen my legs around him and I slowly pull away from him, wiping the remnants of our lovemaking off both of us. 

I lean down to kiss him "there......your dick might smell like pear cider, but it could be worse and I will sneak the quilt down to laundry, not a big deal. As for Ellen.....you might be surprised, she is one of the most open minded women I have ever met".

He pulls me down, kissing me again and I put my head on his chest as he runs a hand over my naked shoulder, using his other hand to move a strand of hair out of my face "she probably is.....I love her and have always felt comfortable around her, there is a no none sense about her".

"Exactly, but she is always very loving and kind......she helped me so much after Luke got sick and when he died.....she would just let me talk, which is what I needed, somebody that would just listen and let me vent".

Richard nods "yeah, she just makes you feel at ease" and he chuckles "she saw right away how smitten I was with you and she told me to go for it, but also talked to me, very serious.....that if I went for it, I better mean it and not decide later it was not for me. She is very fond of you and wants you to be happy".

I look at him "I am glad you did and I am very happy".

He tenderly touches my face and looks at me with so much love "me too, Lauren....I don't recall the last time I felt like this with anyone and I feel kind of stupid and juvenile..." and his cheeks turn a little red.

"Why?".

"Because I find myself just horny and lusting after you 24/7 like some hormonal teenager......you drive me crazy, love" and he pulls me in for a passionate kiss and I settle of top of him, enjoying the heat from his body. I do raise an eyebrow when I feel his cock stirring and I moan when he runs his hands down my back, grabbing my behind.

"Just enjoy it, Rich....I certainly don't mind, but we really don't have time for anymore hanky panky, if we are going to eat what Harrod's delivered before you have to go back to set".

"I know" and he sits up when I move to get up, stopping me before I get up, leaning his forehead against mine "I love you, Lauren.....this was hot" and he adds with a smirk "you can pick positions from now on.....".

I smile into a kiss "I love you too, Rich and that's a deal....against the shower wall or on the bathroom counter will be next on the list" and I teasingly trail a finger down his chest, over his abs and finding his half hard cock, wrapping my hand around him.

He grunts as he pushes into my fist "ohhh god...please stop",

I grin and give him a final tug before standing up, reaching down to give him a hand "but it is so much fun......".

He gets up and smacks my behind "you are evil....", but then pulls me in for a full body hug "but I love it and can't get enough...".

We share a tender kiss and then get dressed, touching and caressing each other in the process. Richard gets the basket and puts it on the table by the couch, opening it up and pulling out the food items. I retrieve our glasses and fill them with some more cider. He takes my hand and we sit down on the couch, enjoying a tasty picnic with lots of yummy, little bites for lunch: Smoked salmon mixed with creme cheese on squares of toast with dill and capers, a mixed green salad with balsamic dressing, assorted dry cured Italian salamis with Parmesan Reggiano chunks and olives and several different cheeses in small pieces to be sampled, with some red grapes and slices of pear. And two heart shaped cups of chocolate mousse with fresh strawberries and raspberries.

The lovemaking must have left us hungry, because we both dig in and don't talk much other than looking at each other, smiling and making approving noises as we eat. We finally slow down a little towards the end and I lean over, touching his arm and kissing him "thank you, Rich...this is delicious".

He nods and returns the smile "I agree, not the last time I order from them" and our faces are still really close together, when he gives me a grin "but I liked the first course better......it was hot, sexy, amazing and mind blowing".

"You horny bastard" and I playfully slap his shoulder and he fakes injury "auwww" and we both laugh happily and he pulls me into his arms and another kiss.

We get to the pudding and my eyes about roll back in my head when the taste of the chocolate hits my mouth and mixes with the sweetness of the berries. I let out a moan "ohhh god that is good" and I lick my spoon. I look at him and he is just staring and he swallows hard, trying to tear his eyes away. "Something wrong, Rich?" and I offer him a spoonful, which he takes and then grabs my arms and pulls me into his lap.

I let out a squeal in surprise "Rich!" and then giggle as he crashes his lips to mine, the taste of the chocolate lingering in our mouths as we share a heated kiss. He grumbles in my ear when we break "yes, you drive me fucking insane, love.....".

"Well the feeling is mutual, Rich" and I settle in his lap as we kiss some more and then just hold each other, enjoying this quiet and intimate moment before we have to go back to real life.

We finally get up with a sigh and he walks me back to my work room. He is holding my hand, our fingers laced together as we make our way down the hallway. He keeps giving me little smiles, his eyes are twinkling and alive as he kisses me one final time, before he lets me go to return to set.

"See you after work, love".

"Bye, Rich and thank you for a lovely lunch......dessert and all".

He grins and steals another kiss, then walks off, casting one loving glance back at me before he disappears up the steps again.

I shake my head and then walk back in the door and the work at hand.

 


	10. Chapter 10

The next few days passes in a blur, we are all busy and just trying to keep up. The kids come in after school and we rush off to karate lessons or just home for homework and dinner and getting ready for the next day. I see Richard for lunch and he went with us to Elliott's karate lesson the other night, which made Elliott just beam and then home for supper. Yesterday Richard met with his agent and publicist to get all the ducks in a row for the last Hobbit move premiere and he stopped over after, the kids were already in bed and we sat on the couch and talked for a while, me snuggled in his arms as he laid out the hectic December he will have. Sounds crazy and we wont see him much, but he did make sure he had two weeks around Thanksgiving, so we can go to see my family.

Today is no different, another busy, busy day. "North and South" will wrap in 4 weeks and then Richard has vowed to sit down and try to map out next year and what projects he wants to work on. We have a few more costumes to make for this project and are already working on several other shows, it never stops, but that is a good thing.....I do love what I do.

I am finishing up a beautiful gown for Daniela, for her to wear when Margaret and John attend a Christmas ball, a celebration that the mill did very well this year. It has some pretty embroidery around the collar and on the sleeves. I hang it on the bust, so I can make sure the fabric drapes the way I want it to. I step back to admirer the work and is in my own little, happy world when I feel a pair of strong arms wrapping around me and he kisses the nape of my neck "it is almost as gorgeous as you".

Smiling, since I know those arms so well by now, I snuggle into his embrace and turn my head to give him a soft kiss and I blush "thanks, Rich".

"Well, it is the truth" and he gives me one of his big smiles, the one where his teeth is showing.

Ellen comes over and smiles at us both and looks at Richard "Rich, you are so in love it is not even funny.......but it suits you. You did good, she is brilliant".

He blushes, but is still holding my hand and beams at me "I know, Ellen and thank you......I feel incredibly lucky to have met her".

The door flies open and the kids come running in, both of them yelling "Rich! Rich!" and hugging him first, Emma clinging to his leg.

Ellen laughs and looks at me "I guess they have a new favorite".

I smile at Rich and he gives me an almost embarrassed look, I turn my attention back to Ellen "yeah, he is the fun one.....not the one that tells them to clean their room, brush their teeth, do their homework etc.".

She nods "I am sure, but it is good for kids to have both, it balances out and you have seemed much more relaxed lately, he helps carry the load".

"Oh he is amazing" and I see him blush as I reach out my hand to him "we are lucky he wants to be part of our lives".

Ellen hugs me "you deserve this so much, Lauren" and the kids hug her and then go over to try and find their homework.

She turns to Richard "I hope you know you won the lottery".

He grins big and is beaming as he holds my hand "oh I know I did" and she says goodnight.

I need to finish draping the skirt of the dress before we can leave, so Richard goes over and sits down with the kids, helping Emma sound out the alphabet and testing Elliott on his spelling words. 

He looks up from my desk "hey love......what are you schedule after this, is today dance class for Emma or is it karate?".

Removing a pin I was holding in my mouth, I stick it in the fabric and look back at him "we have dance class".

Emma tugs on his arm "are you coming with us, Rich?".

"Yes, pumpkin, I will come with you tonight and see you dance".

"Yay! And you can meet Miss Grace that teaches us, she is so nice and pretty" and she gestures dramatically "but not as pretty as Mum, but you will like her".

He laughs at her little speech "you are right, darling.....you do have the prettiest mum" and he winks at me, making me blush.

"But Rich, I thought you had another meeting with your agent?".

He gets up and walks over to me "I did, but it got changed until tomorrow night, he was still trying to work a couple of things out before we sit down again....really hoping to do a play here in town next year".

"That would be nice, you would be right here".

He looks around, making sure everyone has gone home for the day and pulls me into his arms "I'm here now".

"I know and it is wonderful, but I also know at some point you will have to go somewhere on location and I am ok with that, that is what you do.....I just dread it, because we will miss you so much".

Emma runs over, looking panicked "Rich is leaving us?".

He kneels down and pulls her close, so he can look her in the eye "no, I am not leaving you......not right now, but I will have to travel and be away sometimes because I have to make another movie".

She throws her little arms around him, bursting into tears "but I don't want you to go".

He holds her tight and strokes her head, looking up at me in slight bewilderment. 

I go over there and kneel next to them, trying to talk to Emma "sweetheart....he is not leaving right now, alright? Rich will be here for a while, probably wont have to leave until after Christmas" and I look at him to make sure what I am saying is right, he nods slightly. "He will be here for your birthday and he is going with us to Grandma and Grandpa for Thanksgiving and he will be here for Christmas, so please calm down, honey".

She is still crying and we both rub her back and she finally stops crying and looks at him "okay.....but it made me very sad".

Richard hugs her tight "I know, pumpkin and I am sorry about that.....but I promise you when I do leave, I will Facetime you every day".

She grins "promise?".

"Yes, honey, I promise".

She breaks into a smile "okay" and then lets go of him, straightening up and then looks at me "I gotta go wee now".

"Elliott, would you please take your sister to the bathroom?" and I points at the her.

"Sure, Mum" and they leave.

Richard gets up, winching from being crouched down and I try not to laugh, putting a hand on his arm "welcome to the ever changing emotions of a 5 year old, one minute the world is coming apart, the next everything is ok and then she has to go potty".

He laughs "it's okay, but do I have to worry she will fall apart when I leave?".

"She will be okay, we just need to talk to her about it before hand and she will be fine. But you are leaving for a bit early December, aren't you?".

"Yeah, the world premiere of the final Hobbit will actually be here in London and then I have like 2 weeks of total craziness to attend premiere and promotions before Christmas. I think I am expected in France, the States, South America and maybe a few other places, it will be nuts".

"Better do your Christmas shopping before then, huh?" and I look at him "but that is awesome it will premiere here, this is where your career began...a full circle moment".

He reaches for my hand and just pulls me in, kissing me softly and holding me "will you come with me to the premiere? And Elliott can come too, but I figure Emma is a little young?".

Our eyes meet and I touch his stubbly chin "are you sure? Do you know what that might mean, the press will likely get hold of this and are you sure that is what you want?".

He nods "I know and I actually don't really care, it is nobody's business who I am dating and I really would like for you to go with me".

I kiss him "I would love to go with you, Rich and Elliott will be ecstatic about it, but you might need to play tea party or read for a million hours to make it up to Emma, but I agree, she is too young for those movies".

Richard smiles "it's a date then" and he looks serious "thank you, Lauren".

"For what, Rich? For going with you?".

"For putting up with me, my insecurities and moodiness and everything else".

"I love you, Rich...moodiness and all".

"I love you more" and he gives me a passionate kiss and we don't break until Emma's loud voices jolts us out of it "EWWWWWWW! Rich, why are you sticking your tongue in my mum's mouth? That is rude!".

He blushes a deep shade of red and mumbles "because I really like your mum".

I giggle and he pulls me into his arms, kissing my cheek.

Elliott makes a face and shakes his head at us. I hurry and finish up, so we can depart for dance class.

Richard has my bag and is holding my hand as we walk to our cars. Elliott and Emma is walking behind us. I pop the trunk and he puts my bag in there and I get Emma's dance bag out, handing it to her "here, sweetie". I look at Richard "want to follow us or come in our car?".

"I can come with you, if you don't mind and if you will give me a ride to work tomorrow, I'll just walk home from your house later".

"That works" and we all get in and drive to the dance studio. Walking in, Elliott meets up with his friend, Spencer, who is also here waiting for his sister's lesson to get over. I point Richard to the first studio "just go grab a couple of chairs, I'll be right in after I help Emma put on her stuff".

He looks in there and back at me, giving me a nervous look "uhmmm, there are just women in there".

"So? I'm sure they wont molest you, you'll be fine" and I give him an encouraging push. He makes a face, but then cheers up as another guy comes in, carrying an overstuffed diaper bag and a baby. He follows him in there and I can't help but smile before going in the girls dressing room.

I get her dressed and she runs out of there and into the studio and I follow. The girls are over in the corner, all competing for Miss Grace's attention before class starts. 15 little heads, all trying to tell a story, show off the latest bruise or new dance shoes. I make my way over to the chairs and Richard lifts his jacket out of the way and drapes his arm around me when I sit down, kissing my cheek "hey".

I lean into him "hey yourself" and I whisper in his ear "you survived the pack of women".

Everyone around us is just chatting way and the kids pretty much drown out all the talking.

He gives me a look and whispers back "yes, but I might have gotten recognized....the two ladies in the corner looked at me very intently when I walked in and were whispering".

"Well, sorry to say it Rich, but with the sideburns, the hair and the stubble, you do look like a modern John Thornton, so if you were into that show, I don't know how you would not recognize you" and I add "not to rub it in, but remember the web site crashed after the first episode aired?".

He grumbles "don't remind me" and he looks down on his phone, which he had been scrolling "on a better note, I finally managed to follow you back on Twitter.....had to dig a little, there are a lot of Lauren's out there".

"I bet.....so are you sure you found the right one?".

He tabs on his phone and shows me my profile "LaurenTR@dressmaker....that is you, right? I assume the TR stands for Tanner Roberts?".

I nod "that's me and you are right with the initials".

"Good.....I didn't know for sure, but you did tweet a picture of the kids in the snow last year and your profile picture is of a dress" and he shows me.

"Yeah, that is from Austria, I always take them skiing over New Year's........Luke and I use to do that and I have just kept the tradition".

He blurts out "I love to ski too".

Reaching for his hand, our fingers lace together and I look at him "well, then maybe you need to come with us this year".

Richard start blabbering "ohh, I didn't mean it that way, Lauren....I wasn't trying to invite myself, it just slipped out....I...".

I shush him and rub my thumb over his knuckles of the hand I am currently holding "shhh....not another word......I would love for you to come, it is fantastic, the kids have ski school most of the day" and I wiggle an eyebrow "leaves lots of free time for the adults".

He smirks and leans close to my ear "to do what?".

Giving him an innocent look, but stroking his hand "ohh I don't know......things" and I almost brush my lips against his ear, making him shiver "why do you think both the kids were born in September....".

It takes him a minute to work that one out and then gives me a grin "you are bad".

I giggle and put my hand on his thigh "maybe....but just being honest".

"Nice" and we both turn our attention to Miss Grace, as she walks onto the center of the floor and claps her hands "alright kids, lets get going today".

Richard looks up in disbelief "Grace Miller?".

I turn to him in surprise "you know her?".

Several emotions wash over his face and I can't really tell exactly what they are, but he finally looks at me "yeah, we went to theater school together and were in the same ballet class".

It is my turn to be surprised "you took ballet classes, you know how to dance?".

He blushes a little "well, yeah......for years....".

"Me too, Rich.....for years, until I decided I would rather design the costumes than wear them".

"Maybe we need to go out and dance sometime?".

That would be great" and we share a delighted smile, we have found yet another thing we have in common.

We watch for the next 30 minutes as they all twirl and move over the floor and I get a kick out of him, watching him watch Emma dance is heart warming. He beams like a proud dad and I can see him internally count steps to the music, which is funny, because I do the same thing, it is just habit.

When class wraps, we stand up and there are a lot of kids swarming, trying to talk, meet up with their parents and eager to leave. I catch the two women behind us, still whispering and looking at Richard. I try to ignore it and my attention is directed at Emma when she comes over, dragging Miss Grace by the hand "Mum, I want Miss Grace to meet Rich, can she? I told he is my new dad and I really want her to meet him".

Richard blushes a deep crimson and I smile at Grace, glancing at Emma "she may, but he is not your new dad, honey.....he hasn't moved in yet".

She looks at me and says calmly"oh, but he will soon".

Grace smiles knowingly "out of the mouths of babes......Lauren, good to see you" and she turns to Richard, her eyes go wide and she grins "Richard Armitage, is that you?".

He shuffles his feet and finally meets her gaze "yep, that is me alright".

She throws her arms around him and he embraces her, hugging her tight and he meets my surprised look over her shoulder, mouthing to me "I'll explain later". I give him a reassuring smile and nod.

Grace pulls away, beaming "gosh, so glad to see you and you sure have done well for yourself, movie and tv star and all that" and she gives him a knowing smile "you have come a long way.....if they had only known.....".

He looks uncomfortable and blushes a bit "I guess.....so are you still married to Stephen?".

"Yeah, sure are and 3 kids".

"Wow, I'm very happy for you" and he makes a motion to get out of the way, realizing a few more parents want to talk to Grace.

She reaches out and hugs him again "so good to see, Rich" and she looks at me and Emma "I'm so happy to see you have found her, she is a gem and Emma is just precious".

Richard smiles and looks at us "I know, I feel incredibly lucky.....take care" and we wave goodbye and leave.

We just step out of the studio itself and I wave to Elliott, sitting on the couch with his friend, letting him know it is time to go. I take Emma back in the dressing room so she can change and when we come back out, Richard is talking to the two women that were eyeing him earlier. Elliott is standing next to him, patiently waiting and he pulls on Richard's arm when he sees we are ready. 

Richard turns to me and holds up a phone "Lauren, do you mind taking a picture?".

I give Emma the bag and walk over "no, not at all" and Richard introduces me "this is Abby and Sarah, they have Rosie and Evie dancing with Miss Grace........this is Lauren, Emma's mom".

We exchange smiles "it's nice to meet you both" and I take the phones.

Abby smiles "nice to meet you too and isn't Grace just lovely?".

I nod "she is wonderful, we love her" and I point to Richard "now, get in there before Elliott starves to death".

He grins and steps between the two of them and I take several pictures, before handing the phones back to them. Sarah beams "thank you so much, really" and she looks at us both "it is none of my business, but you make the cutest couple".

I smile and Richard grins like he swallowed the canary, taking my hand and looks shyly at them "thank you" and we head out, get the kids loaded in the car and head home. Elliott is complaining in the back "Mum! I'm starving, I am so hungry....please hurry! Can we just stop for a burger, I'm going to die! Mum?".

Biting my tongue, my blood pressure is rising and Richard can tell I'm getting close to snapping. He puts a warm hand on my knee as we drive, whispering "It'll be okay, love....just breathe". Biting my lower lip, I shoot him a glance and nods, looking in the rear view mirror and saying as calm as I can "Elliott, please stop, I'm driving as fast as I can and we will be home in 15 minutes and no, we are not going to stop for a burger, I have pulled pork ready to go in the slow cooker".

He huffs and folds his arms and shoots me a glare that could kill and I can't help but call him out on it "enough, Elliott, you are acting like a 3 year old, please knock it off". I can tell he is about to say something else, but Richard turns his head and just gives him a look, which makes Elliott look down in embarrassment and he mumbles "sorry, Mum.....".

"I appreciate that, but it shouldn't take Rich to make you stop and think about your behavior............I know you are hungry, but so are the rest of us and you know we are going home".

We finally swing into our driveway and the garage and get everyone in and the kids run off to play for a few minutes. Richard follows me into the kitchen "what can I do to help with supper? It smells wonderful" and he wraps his arms around me, kissing my neck as I try to open the fridge.

I giggle and turn in his arm, kissing him "thanks....you can mix the coleslaw already cut in there with the dressing. I'm just going to heat the cheese rolls for the sandwiches".

Our eyes meet and he gives me a serious look "was I out of line for looking at Elliott like that? I need to know if I was, I am not trying to take over or be their dad".

I touch his chin "you were just fine and you have every right....you are part of our lives as much as you want to be".

He kisses me again, deepening it a bit and a low groan escapes his lips when I run my hands down his back, to his rear and pull him closer. We break and he gives me a smirk "okay...we better stop or we will never get supper on the table".

We finish getting dinner ready and eat with the kids, then it is bath time and Richard reads to them for half an hour before Emma gets tucked in bed. Elliott is allowed to be up a a bit longer and him and Rich sit on the floor and built on his Lego set until it is bedtime for him too.

The house is finally quiet and I make some tea and we sit down on the couch with a cup, Richard's arm draped around me. We sit in silence for a little bit, just enjoying the quiet and being together. I lean into his shoulder and he turns to kiss the top of my head. I sigh "what a day".

"I guess just like any other day when you work and have kids and activities".

I put my cup on the table and he does the same, reaching for my hand, lacing our fingers together "yeah, I guess, Rich....but I want you to know it is a lot nicer to do it with someone and not do it by yourself, it gets exhausting".

He touches my chin and meets my eyes "I'm happy to do it with you, it feels nice and oddly normal" and he pauses, thinking and then continues "I was terrified it would feel odd and awkward, but it doesn't".

"I'm glad" and we share a soft kiss. I look at him "so care to tell me how you know Miss Grace?".

Richard runs his hand over his face, scratching his sideburns and sighing, gesturing with his hand "yeah....I guess" and he goes a little quiet. I squeeze his hand to reassure him and he takes a deep breath "we went to dance and drama school together and she was one of the only ones that was kind to me...." and he trails off.

I give him a shocked look "people weren't nice......you were bullied?".

He looks incredibly sad "not as bad as it could have been, but it was bad enough.....I was awkward and looked like a beanpole with a nose too big for the rest of me.....had not grown into it yet and I was an easy target, I guess".

"Kids can be incredibly cruel".

"I know and it is almost like they can sense if a kid is insecure and they will target that kid".

I nod "yeah....so how bad was it?".

"Pretty bad......teasing and then just the awful feeling you have that everyone is talking about you behind your back.....even if it might not be the case".

I give him a sincere look "I'm very sorry that happened to you".

"It is part of life and I had to grow some thicker skin, which might have helped later in life.....being an actor, you kind of have to have a tougher hide".

"But still, Rich......I feel sad you had to get it this way".

"Grace was always kind, would talk to me and her now husband, Stephen would too. Made me feel like at least a few people didn't think I was a complete moron, you know".

I run my fingers through the back of his hair, gently petting him and lean in to give him another kiss, his soft lips against mine. It feels really nice. "Well, I don't think you are a moron either and neither does the thousands of women that now dream of sharing the bed with you.....".

He pulls me into his lap and our faces are really close, I can feel his breath as he huskily whispers in my ear "well for your information, I am only interested in sharing my bed with one person" and he gives me a look full of emotion "I love you, Lauren.....thank you for just loving me for me".

"Thank you for allowing me into your life, for opening up to me and for loving the kids" and our lips meet again and I mumble into his mouth "I love you too, Rich". 

We spent the next few minutes just sharing kisses and enjoy being wrapped in each others arms. He makes me feel so safe and deeply loved. We finally pull apart a little and he sighs, shifting in his seat and I am very aware of the straining bulge in his jeans. He looks at me "I better go home or I wont make it" and he leans his forehead against mine "is it Friday yet?".

I smile and caress his chin "I know, just a few more days" and I get up, giving him a hand. We walk to the door and I hand him my keys "just take my car home, it is late and I don't want you to walk. Come get me tomorrow for work at like 8am, we can run the kids to school".

"You sure? I should just have driven my own car".

"Yes, I am sure and it was funner to have you ride with us".

"If you insist".

"Well, I do, Rich" and he pulls me in for another searing kiss before he leaves for the night.

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a bunch of smut.....sorry, no not really sorry and there is a few other things in there too.

It is finally Friday........I think this week has felt like an eternity for both Richard and I. It has been busy and we are very ready for the weekend and some alone time, without having to worry about the kids and where we need to be within the next hour or two.

I actually manage to leave work shortly after lunch and I didn't see Richard today since they are shooting at a different location. The kids will get picked up at school by Luke's parents, so I drive towards home with an empty car. I always enjoy these Fridays, this is my one evening when I can do what I would like to do and try feed my soul and rejuvenate.

Getting home, I let myself in the house and pick up a little, it never ends with two kids, they always leave stuff laying around. I walk upstairs to my room and decide to just change the sheets and look happily at the newly made bed when I get done and can't wait to share it with Richard for the entire night. 

I make it downstairs again and go in the kitchen, checking on the ribs marinading in the fridge, getting them out, putting them in a pan and covering it with tin foil, sticking them in the oven on low. I pull out the all the ingredients to make potato salad and just enjoy the peace and quiet. I turn on the music, just some classical and sit down on the couch when I am done making salad. I scroll Twitter for a bit, I haven't been on it for a few days, not since Richard followed me and I am shocked when I see how many new followers I have, most with Richard's name or one of the characters he played, attached to it. I sigh, I am not really ready to deal with this part of being with him, I thought I was, but now it seems a little more real and not sure I like it too much.

Tabbing onto his Twitter, I see all the tweets to him, leaving me feeling a little uneasy "Rich who is LaurenTR? Your new agent or what? Please tweet a selfie soon it has been too long, Do you know her through work or who is she?" and several fans have tweeted back and forth, still tagging him "guys who is she? He just barely followed her? Looks like there are pictures of two kids, did he get a girlfriend? Rich doesn't have a girlfriend, I want to be his girlfriend, I think she might work in the industry she follows a lot of BBC people". I stare at the screen, fighting an internal war over to delete the pictures of the kids or not. I finally decide against it.

A picture from the other night pops up, with the two ladies and Richard at the dance studio. One of them tweeted him "thanks for being so generous and nice the other night" and it has tons of likes and lots of comments "where did you run into him? How lucky! Was he alone? What was he doing?" and she has responded kindly "we saw him one evening and for his privacy and ours, I will not tell you where, but here in London, he was out in private and no, he was not alone and that is all I am going to say about that, he looked amazing and was so very kind and he looked very, very happy" and she puts a heart and a smiley face. I feel grateful she decided to guard his privacy, but a bit dismayed by some of the comments she got after "how dare you bother him if he was out in private and why are you so stuck up about not telling me where you saw him and who he was with, if he was out it can't be a secret". She responds back "sorry if you are disappointed, but I am not going to tell where and we were really respectful and waited to interrupt him until he was leaving, I am a big fan myself and since Richard has not publicly said anything about anyone he might be with, it is not my place to say, sorry".

Rubbing my face, I feel a bit upset and decide to go take a bath to try and calm down, unwind and relax. I look at the big clock on the wall, it is only 3pm, so Richard might not be here for at least another hour, but he has a key anyway. I gave him one yesterday, during lunch. He had looked at me and then at the key, finally taking it, sticking it on his key chain. We exchanged a look, kind of both knowing this meant a lot more than simply handing a key to someone, but it felt right.

I go in my bathroom upstairs and turn on the faucet to the giant tub, making sure the water temperature is just right. It is one of my favorite things about the renovation of the house, the big jetted tub we got installed. Luke insisted on splurging and even got a separate water heater just for the darn tub, but I have loved it so much. I light a couple of candles around it and pour some lavender bath oil under the running water. I take off my clothes and find a clip for my hair, putting it up on my head, so it wont get wet. 

Sinking into the warm water, I sigh happily and just float away, relaxing and letting the stress of the week drain out of me. I turn on the jets on low, just to circulate the water through the heating system, to keep it nice and toasty. I close my eyes and just lean back, breathing slowly in and out.

"Lauren!" Are you home, love? Where are you? Hello?" and I hear rapid footsteps up the stairs.

I call out "in the bathroom, Rich" and the footsteps come closer and he opens the door, carrying a sports bag over his shoulder.

He gives me a big smile "hi, love.....feeling okay?".

Sitting up a little, my breasts lift out of the water and I see his eyes automatically going there and he swallows hard. I smirk "yeah, I'm fine.....just felt like taking a bath".

Richard leans over the tub and gives me a kiss "I'm glad you did" and I can't help but notice the growing bulge in the front of his jeans. Not caring that my hand is wet, I deepen the kiss and run it over his thigh, up to cup his shaft "happy to see me?".

He groans "ohhh fuck, yes....ughh" and he pushes into my hand and reaches out with one of his, gently rubbing my breast, making my nipple hard and I feel him twitch under my fingers.

"Care to join me? There is plenty of room".

He grunts his approval into my mouth and then breaks away, quickly shedding all his clothes, standing before me totally naked. I lick my lips when I see his beautiful cock, big and hard against his stomach and I reach a hand out, taking hold of his hand and inviting him in. He sighs deeply as he immerses himself into the warm water and his face displays utter bliss "ugghhh, this is heavenly". He leans against the one side and then moves me between his legs, my back against his chest. He wraps his arms around me, kissing my shoulder and throat "Hmmm.....so happy it is finally the weekend".

I turn my head so our lips can meet "me too, Rich and I saw you brought your overnight bag".

He smiles "you better believe it". We sit in silence for a while, just enjoying a quiet moment together and the warmth of the water. He mumbles into my neck "water still feels warm".

My hands are lazily caressing his legs until he runs his hands over my arms and interlace our fingers, holding me around my waist, our hands resting on my stomach. My eyes are closed and I murmur in pure bliss "the tub has heated pipes, so the water stays warm when it runs through them".

"Nice" and I feel him letting go of my hands and starting to slide his palms over my slick body, caressing my sides, over my stomach and then finally moving both up to grab a soft breast, gently squeezing.

I moan, arching my back a little and feeling my nipples go hard as he rubs them with his fingers "what are you doing, Rich?".

He licks my neck and right under my ear, whispering "just enjoying you" and I feel him twitch against my back and I run my hands up his thighs, reaching between us and encircling his cock with one hand. The water makes everything slick and his breathing picks up and it is his turn to moan "Lauren....".

I let go of him and turn around, facing him, our eyes meeting, his deep with arousal and he pulls me closer, our lips crashing together in a passionate kiss. I straddle his thighs and tangle my hands in his hair and doing my best to rub myself against his hard cock. His arms wrap around me, pulling me smack against his hard chest, my nipples rubbing against his coarse hair, sending jolts of pleasure to my very core. His hands are flat against my wet back, sliding up and down and then I feel them on my behind as he holds me against him and he thrusts his hips.

Arching my back, I let out a moan "ohhh, Rich....more, please" and I set a steady rhythm with my hips, thrusting against him, making the head of his erection slide against my clit, bringing me closer to orgasm. Our mouths are all over each other and I kiss his scruffy chin, licking his ear and it drives him crazy, making him rut against me harder. My breathing is picking up and I am getting close, the familiar knot of tension building inside.

He senses it and looks at me, growling in my ear "I want to be inside of you when you come, I want to feel you come around my cock" and we exchange another deep kiss. I lift myself up enough to reach down and guide him to my entrance and I sink down on him in one fluid motion, making him groan "ohh fuck". He feels amazing as his wide head spreads my walls and he still has his hands on my behind, guiding me up and down his length as I ride him hard.

I am a withering mess, almost sobbing with pleasure, moaning in his ear and tugging at his hair "ohh Rich, harder, baby....fuck me" and he thrusts deeper and the damn breaks, wrecking my body with a powerful orgasm and I clench around his cock, clinging to his shoulders and muffling my scream "Rich!!".

He feels me come and it spurs on his own release, he angle his thrust upward and pounds into me with force, holding me firmly to him as he spurts hot deep inside of me with a final hoarse shout "ohhhh, ohhhh god....Lauren!".

We hold each other tight, letting the last spasms of release subside and we both let out a breath. I nuzzle his neck, mumbling "fucking hell" and he throws his head back and lets out a deep throated laugh and looks at me, his beautiful blue eyes twinkling "you can say that again" and he squeezes me tight. Sharing a tender kiss, I cup his face "I love you, Rich" and he caresses my back, looking at me "I love you too, Lauren, so much" and I put my head on his shoulder, sighing in pure contentment. 

After a while, I wiggle free of his embrace, turning off the jets and reaching for the hand held shower head "I guess we better get out before we grow fins" and I quickly rinse off, passing it to him. I reach for a fluffy towel and hand him one when he is done. He takes it with a smile "thanks, love" and we get dressed slowly, stopping every few seconds to touch each other and kiss. He puts his toiletries out by the sink, looking mighty pleased with himself and throws his pj bottoms on the bed. 

I look at them and then at him "you think you need those?".

"Just in case".

"Ok, but I was planning on sleeping naked with you"

He grabs me, kissing my neck and making me giggle "that's a deal" and we walk downstairs so we can get some dinner ready. I get the potato salad out and mix the green salad and he sits on the bar stool, watching me "what can I do to help?".

I hand him the lighter "go turn on the grill on medium, the ribs just need to be seared".

"I can do that, it smells divine" and he trots out on the patio. I take the ribs out of the oven, uncovering them and bringing them out, handing him some tongs "just throw them on there, they just need to be grilled and blackened a little". I go back for some BBQ sauce and I brush them when he flips them over. They get done and we bring them back inside and put them on the table, long with the salads and some crusty bread. I get the bottle of wine I uncorked earlier, to let it air out and hand it to him "don't really know if wine is good with this, but at least give it a try".

He takes it, pouring into both glasses and pulls my chair out "wine is always good, not matter what" and he sits down across from me "it looks tasty, love......thank you". We dig in and Richard must have been famished, pretty much eating in silence, but making cute, little satisfied sounds along the way and sending me happy smiles. The ribs are melt in your mouth tender and they need to be eaten with your fingers, so it is a bit messy, but oh so worth it. He licks his thumb and looks at me "these are to die for....hmmmm so good".

I smirk and just look at his mouth, watching how he smacks his lips and licks that finger "glad you like them, one of my mom's recipes" and I keep staring.

He gives me a smirk back "what? and he takes extra care, making sure to lick all the sauce off.

Taking a sip of my wine "ohh nothing, I was just thinking that I really want to suck on you like that".

He stops mid lick and swallows hard, a low whine escaping his lips "please stop.....".

"Why......it is so much fun to see you get all riled up".

Richard huffs "easy for you to say, you are not the one in pain because your zipper is threatening to permanently damage your genitals".

"Well, if you had worn your underwear, it might have been better".

"Whatever Miss Smartypants Roberts" and he takes another rib, enjoying it immensely.

We finish dinner and we help each other clean up. I make some tea and we plop down on the couch, Richard pulling me against him as he leans on the one end. My back is against his chest and I enjoy the warmth from the body and the feeling of being safe and snuggled in his arms. He nuzzles my neck, kissing it lightly "thank you for dinner, that was amazing".

I turn my head to kiss him "you are welcome, glad you liked it". I pull the clip out of my hair and put it on the table.

"Can I return the favor next Friday at my house? Dinner and a sleepover?".

I snuggle into him "a sleepover, huh?".

He kisses the top of my head and plays with my hair "yes, I would very much like for you to come sleep in my bed".

Drawing lazy circles on his arm, I glance back at him "just sleeping?".

"No....I was hoping we could do other things too".

"You were, were you?".

Kissing the back of my neck and touching my arms, he mumbles "uhu....." and then he gets serious "and then maybe we can invite my parents down on Saturday, after we get the kids, so they can meet you all?".

I turn around so I can really see his face "are you serious?".

"Yes of course I am serious" and then he sounds uncertain "or it that a bad idea, too soon?".

Reaching for his hand, I clasp it and look at him "no, not at all, but if you don't mind, maybe I can come Friday, sleep at your house" and I smirk, adding "and other things" and he smiles back, before I continue "and then we can go get the kids and invite your parents here. That way Emma and Elliott are in their own environment.....remember they haven't been to your house yet".

He looks at me "that's right....they haven't. That is a good idea and maybe we can go to my house for dinner tomorrow night or something, so they at least have been there".

"That would be lovely and Elliott is still dying to see Orcrist" and I say quietly "thank you, Rich".

"For what?".

"For loving me and loving them.....".

"I wouldn't have it any other way" and he reaches out to me "come here, love" and he pulls me into his arms and kisses me silly. I break into giggles and he just hold me, his forehead against mine and he says softly "how did I get to be so lucky?" and we kiss again. He cups my face "now, care to tell me why you were having a bath? Did something upset you this afternoon or did you just feel like it?".

I sigh and scoot a little away from him, still holding his hand "Twitter.......".

He lets out a groan and nods "I understand, I went in over lunch today and I saw it all.....the questions about why I followed you, which I of course will not answer, I never answer anyone on there, actually and then the picture from the other night. I do want to sent that woman flowers for not saying where she saw me or Miss Grace's dance class will be overrun....".

"I know, Rich......it just took me back a little.....I mean, I know you have fans and you are a famous person, but it just became a little too real today".

He looks worried "having second thoughts?".

"No, not about us at all, don't you ever think that, but I am worried about Elliott and Emma and being in the spotlight".

"I am not going to lie to you, I worry about that too, a lot actually and I will do what I can to protect them, but at some point we won't be able to hide it" and he rubs my hand "in fact, I don't want to hide it.......I want the world to know I am deeply in love with this beautiful, smart and talented woman". He sees my concern and talks with the hand I am not currently holding "but don't worry, I am not going to call the tabloids....how about we just take things as they come and we will deal with it, if or when the press gets hold of it?".

I smile "that sounds good, Rich......I can do that".

We sit for a little bit longer, drinking tea and just quietly talking. It feels so normal to have him here in the house. I stifle a yawn and soon he is yawning too. He looks at me a smiles "I guess it is contagious.....should we go to bed?".

I stretch "sure, that sounds nice" and I get up and we carry the cups in the kitchen and turn off the lights, walking upstairs hand in hand. We get ready for bed and Richard crawls into bed, still wearing his boxer briefs. He pads my side "all ready for you" and I just shed all my clothes, tossing it in the hamper in the closet. 

Turning around, I look at him, he is just staring and I grin "what? I told you I wanted to sleep naked with you" and I slide under the sheets next to him. He pulls me into his arms and swallows hard and croaks "well, that is nice and all, but not sure I am able to sleep now".

I kiss him and run my hand over his bare chest, loving the feel of his chest hair under my fingers "and why is that? Is my naked body that bad, Rich?".

He returns the kiss and pulls me all the way on top of him and I feel his erection, pressing hard against my stomach. His voice sounds a bit strained "never, Lauren....you are beautiful and that is why I can't sleep, you turn me on like nothing else" and he slides his hands down my back, caressing my skin and each palm closes over my behind and he thrusts upward, groaning into my mouth "god, you feel nice".

Our kissing intensifies and we are soon devouring each other and our hands roam everywhere, touching exposed skin and fueling the passion between us. I kiss down the line of his jaw and onto his throat, finding his pulse point and gently sucking. I let my hands touch over his wide shoulder and broad chest, following up with my mouth and tongue. I kiss each of his nipples and gently suck on them and then move over his stomach, feeling his muscles tensing. I lick his belly button and kiss his pleasure trail under his navel and play with the waist band of his underwear. I nip playfully at his length through the fabric of his boxer briefs and he twitches under my lips. 

I look up at him and then grab his underwear with my fingers and slide them down, over his thighs and he kicks them off. He sighs when his erection is let out, slapping against his stomach and I lick my lips and he is staring at me, following my every move. He inhales sharply as I bend over him again and his breath gets caught in his throat as I place the softest kiss against his swollen head. 

He supports himself with his elbows so he can see what I am doing and we lock eyes for a second, his blown wide and dark with arousal and I senses his entire body tensing up when I lean over, licking a wider strip from the base to the very tip, along the vein and then swirling my tongue around the head. He throws his head back and moans "ohhh fuck" and I open my mouth and swallow him down, drawing grunts of pleasure from him. 

He drops down on his back and reaches down to tangle a hand in my hair and his other hand is soon grabbing at the sheets as I hollow my cheeks and start to really work him over with my mouth and tongue. He is soon a withering mess and when the pre cum hits my tongue, I know he is close. I pick up the speed even more, wanting to bring him as much pleasure as possible, but soon his pulls on my shoulder, croaking "ohh god, Lauren......it feels incredible, but I want to come inside you, please....".

I pop off him and he sits up right away, crashing out lips together and chasing my tongue with his as we kiss passionately. He pushes me down and hover over me, running his hands over my breasts, teasing my nipples with his fingers, stroking them to peaks and then sucking on both, sending jolts of pleasure straight to my core. I tug at his hair and arches up, spreading my legs for him "ohhhh, ohhh, Rich more please.......".

He kisses over my stomach and I giggle when he bites my sides and then trail kisses lower and finally reaches my mound. He looks up at me with a smirk and then goes to work. I think I have died and gone to heaven. He knows exactly how to pleasure me, alternating his strokes with his tongue, going slower and then faster. I lift my hips and pretty much close my thighs around his head, begging him not to stop "ohh, ohhh, Rich...please don't stop....oh god" and I arch my back and then cry out as I climax "ohhhh fuck yes....ohhhh" and he keeps it up, drawing out the pleasure for me as long as possible.

I collapse into the mattress, letting my thighs fall to the side and breathe out, a satisfied grin on my face. He crawls back up, his scruff a little wet and he gives me a smirk and a kiss "good?".

"No, it was just horrid, Rich, worst orgasm ever" and I deepen the kiss, tasting myself on his tongue.

He wiggles an eyebrow "yeah, that's what I thought".

I pull him in for a hug and lick his ear, whispering "alright, now it is your turn....what would you like?". He hesitates and I encourage him "Rich, spit it out".

He gently turns me over and I realize what he would like and I get on all fours. He gets behind me, stroking down my back, tracing my spine with his hand "please tell me if you don't like this, I know some women don't like it this way and....".

I cut him off "Rich!".

"Yes?".

I turn my head "will you just shut up and fuck me, please" and I wiggle my behind.

He groans "yes ma'm" and lines himself up, slowly pushing in, spreading my walls with his wide head and penetrating me to the hilt. I moan in pure pleasure and clench around his thick cock and he holds still for a second when he bottoms out, muttering "shit you feel tight like this". He grabs onto my hips and then slowly start to move, thrusting slow at first and then picking up the speed. It feels so good and I cry on in pure pleasure as he pounds into me. He leans over me, caressing my breasts and kissing my neck, his hot breath in my ear "fuck, Lauren.......ohhhh, shit.....ohhhh" and he thrusts a couple more times, going even harder and then shooting his load as he comes with a final growl "Lauren!" and he collapses against me.

He clings to me for a few and then slowly drops to the side, pulling me with him, wrapping his arms tightly around me and we lay panting, trying to come down for the high of really good sex. He nuzzles my neck and mumbles in my hair "you are going to kill me, woman......holy shit".

Our hands are intertwined and I snuggle into him "I know, Rich.....". We stay like this for a while until he reaches in the drawer for a towel, carefully sliding from me and cleaning up the mess. I turn around and he wraps me in his arms and kissing me for a few minutes. I finally untangle myself and get up "I'll be right back".

He whines "where are you going?".

I kiss him once more "bathroom......UTI's are not sexy, Rich".

"No they are not, but hurry back". I return and he is laying on his back, looking mighty happy and he opens the sheets "come here, love.....I have waited all week to sleep in the same bed as you".

I crawl into bed with him, laying on my side and snuggling close. He is holding my hand on his chest, our fingers laces together. He leans down and kisses me "goodnight, Lauren......I love you".

Kissing him back, I relish in his warm body next to mine "I love you too, Rich.......goodnight" and we soon drift off to sleep, happy to finally be in the same bed.

 


	12. Chapter 12

I slowly come to, letting out a yawn and rubbing my eyes. I feel the warm body spooning me from behind and a strong arm wrapped over my shoulder. I can hear his even breathing, so he must still be fast asleep. The memories of yesterday come flooding back and I smile, it was some amazing sex. I sigh in contentment and snuggle into him, enjoying his naked skin against mine. 

Richard stirs a little and squeezes me with his arm, his voice, deep and vibrating in my ear "hmmm...morning, Lauren" and he lazily closes his hand over one of my breasts and kisses my exposed neck "this is nicer than I even imagined....we should stay here all day".

Maybe because it is morning, but my entire body seems even more sensitive and I react immediately to his touch, my nipple hardening under his fingers and he groans in my ear as he feels it too. His body reacts and he automatically bucks his hips against my rear, his length going rigid right away. Wetness pools between my legs as his erection presses against me and I turn my head to kiss him, smiling "well, someone else is up too".

He nuzzles my neck and murmurs "that was a bad pun...".

I turn around, facing him and he draws me into his warm embrace and I hook my leg over his hip. We meet in a passionate kiss, not caring about morning breath and he runs a hand up my leg, caressing my skin and then grabs my hip, aligning me with him and we both moan when his cock slides against my wet folds.

"Well, perhaps, but it is the truth" and I push him onto his back and straddle him. He is gorgeous, even in the morning, his hair slightly ruffled and his eyes are bright, sparkling blue. He looks up at me and gives me a lustful stare, slowly dancing his fingers up my arms and then pulling me down, encircling me in his embrace and we both relish the the feel of our bodies pressed together, his coarse chest hair feels wonderful against my breasts. We meet in another heated kiss and I roll my hips against his length, rubbing my wetness against him and he slides his hands down my back, holding me in place with his hands on my behind, so he can thrust against me. A aroused moan escapes his lips "Lauren.....fuck".

I am panting into his mouth "I know, Rich" and I prop myself up, reaching for him and kissing him deeply as I wrap my hand around his hard shaft, rubbing him and feeling the pre cum coating my fingers as I thumb over his head as he groans into the kiss "urhhh...please, baby". I guide him to my entrance and letting him slip in, we lock eyes as I slowly sink down on his cock, relishing in how good it feels. Our hips meet and I squeeze my inner muscles around him a few times and he throws his head back, thrusting into me, his hands firmly gripping my hips "ohh god, Lauren........".

Leaning down, I kiss him again and he runs his hands up my sides and then up to cup my breasts, squeezing each orb in the palm of his hand and he bend his head so he can lick and suck on each of my nipples. I moan and grind down on him when his stimulation goes straight to my very core. I start to move, rubbing my clit against his pubic bone every time I slide down on him and it doesn't take long before I feel the tension starting to built deep inside of me. We lock eyes and he caresses my face and cup my chin with his hand, his voice raspy "you are so beautiful, love....I want to feel you come around my cock".

I turn my head a little to kiss his fingers on my chin and then I open my mouth, starting to suck on his thumb. It is such a visual for him and Richard lets out a whine and twitches inside of me "oh god that is so hot, baby" and it spurs on my arousal when I see how much it turns him on. I watch his face as he stares at my mouth and how I work my tongue over his thumb and he grips my hip tighter with his other hand, thrusting harder.

It feels incredible, the way his thrusts in and out of me and his breaths are coming in huffs as we move together. He slips his thumb out with loud pop and brings it between us, finding my clit and starting to apply pressure, he knows exactly how to touch me to draw the most pleasure and get me to orgasm. I am a moaning mess and he is panting beneath me "that's it, love....just feel.....you look so hot riding me.....close?".

All I can do is nod and I press my hips down as he thrust up, hard and I climax, waves of pleasure crashing through my entire body and I throw back my head "ohhhhhhh, Rich...ohhh fuck" and I ride it out. He feels me orgasm and grits his teeth when I contract around him and he pulls me into his arms, kissing me deeply as I melt against his chest, totally spent and satisfied. He nuzzles my neck and mumbles in my ear "good?".

"Hmmmm.....that would be the understatement of the year" and I lift my head to look at him "but now it is your turn".

We lock eyes and he holds on to me as he rolls us over, so he is above me and I adjust my hips and wrap my legs around him. This makes him sink in even deeper and he lets out a grunt before he starts to move with force. His arms stand corded on either side of my face and I caress his biceps and we share a wet kiss that turns into a moan for us both when he thrusts deeper and our voices mash together "fuck me, Rich....ughh...oohhhh....shit....harder....close" and a few more strokes and he lets out a final growl "fuck I'm coming.....ohhh god" as he releases deep inside of me and collapses. 

We cling to each other, our chests heaving and slowly coming down from the high. My arms are tightly wrapped around his shoulder and our breathing slowly returns to normal. I touch his neck and run my fingers through his sweaty hair and he finally lifts his head and gives me a grin, kissing me silly and letting out a deep breath "shit......never knew morning sex could be this good".

I grin and we kiss again "it is one of my favorites, it is such a nice way to wake up".

"I wish I could wake up with you every day, love" and he reaches for the towel in drawer and then cleans us both up, before tossing it in the bathroom. He peaks in the drawer "we still haven't played with your toys".

I scoot next to him as he lays back down, resting my head on his shoulder and snuggling close, letting my hand caress over his body. I kiss his scruffy chin "well, we have plenty of time for that later......right now your toy is the funnest" and I playfully ever so slightly touch him, running my fingers over his soft length and tickle his thighs. 

Richard squirms and pulls me flush with his body, kissing the top of my head and cupping my face "I love you, Lauren".

"I love you more, Rich" and we lay in bed for a while longer. 

Everything seems right in the world, laying here with this incredible man. He pets my entire body with his hand and kisses the top of my head "this is heaven.......but anything we need to do today besides get the kids?".

"Maybe breakfast and a shower would be nice too, Rich".

"Probably.....but anything you need to get done, love?".

I turn over on my stomach, so I can look at him as we talk, he props his head up on the pillow for eye contact. I rests my hand on his hairy chest "maybe run to the fabric store....I need to work on Emma's birthday party in a few weeks".

"Oh yeah, what kind of party does she want?".

"She would like to have a fairy princess birthday party".

He gives me a look "okay.....and what exactly is that?".

"That is a good question, but after some research and trying to get her to be more specific, I have come to the conclusion it involves fairy food, which according to her is chicken nuggets, homemade by yours truly, macaroni and cheese and ice creme"

He smiles "sounds reasonable, I guess......when you are turning 6".

"And then costumes, a princess movie, probably "Frozen" and then getting your nails done".

"Wow....I'm tired just thinking about it".

"Tell me about it......so I am making fairy wings for her and her friends, coming to the party and sewing her a sparkly dress and Krista, from next door, will come help me do their nails".

"You are a good mom".

"I try.....and then Elliott turns 9 a few days after day......".

"And what does he want?".

"He just wants his friends over to watch the Hobbit and they can make their own pizzas".

"Not too bad.......boys are always easier than girls, just like men are easier to please than women" and he smirks as I slap his shoulder "you arse" and he puts his hands up in defense "I was joking".

"I know, Rich and you are right, his will be a piece of cake and then I just have Luke's parents and siblings, he has 2 and their spouses and 4 cousins, come for cake and ice creme".

"What can I do to help you?".

"Nothing, just come and help me keep track of them all, if you want, but don't feel obligated".

He looks at me and says softly "I am very much obligated, Lauren.....I want to be part of their lives".

"And I am happy you want to and I'm sorry.......I just still can't believe how lucky we all are........as I said, the other guys I dated didn't really want much to do with the kids".

"Well, I'm not them".

"Thank heavens" and we meet in a sweet kiss. He pulls me into his arms and hugs me tight.

"I want you and I want them, Lauren.....I understand it is the entire package" and he runs his fingers through my hair and caresses my back "hmmm....how about we shower and then I'll take you to brunch and we can go to the fabric store after?".

"That sounds like a great plan, I'm in" and I kiss him again before getting up and giving him a hand.

We take our time showering and then get dressed for the day, stopping every minute to kiss, hug or touch one another. We are finally ready and head out the door. We are casually dressed, Richard is wearing jeans, his boots and a white t-shirt and then his beloved black Belstaff jacket. I am in jeans too and a white t-shirt and a cardigan and my cowboy boots. The sun is out, it is a gorgeous fall day, so he reaches for his Ray Ban aviators as soon as we get in his car. I find my sun glasses too, it is pretty bright.

He drives us to the heart of London and to "The Blue Hen". He called and made reservation-once in a while it has it's perks to be a famous movie and TV star or he likely would not have gotten a table. They are famous for their divine brunch and a very popular spot. He pulls up in front and the valet comes over right away and Richard gets out, hands him the keys and comes around to open my door. He helps me out and holds on to my hand as we turn to walk the few steps to the door.

"Richard Armitage! Over here please! Who are you with? Can you please come over!".

We both look and he mutters in my ear "shit, the picture vultures are here...keep walking" and we quickly make our way in, his hand protective on my back. He walks up to the hostess "Armitage for two....I called".

She smiles big "yes, right this way Mr. Armitage....." and she leads us past several tables and puts us in a corner with a nice view into their courtyard with a fountain and plants. They serve out there in the summer, but it is too cold now. She hands us the menus "enjoy" and we both sit down.

He looks around a little, checking out the surroundings, but if he was recognized, nobody indicates it. I put a hand on his "relax, Rich.....it's fine....you kind of knew this might happen when you called....we could have gone somewhere less fancy".

"I know, but I wanted to take you here.....the food makes it worth it" and he looks at me nervously "as long as you don't mind?".

"It's fine......the kids are not here with us, so whatever and I do realize it will come as part of going out with your sexy ass".

He gives me a smile "nice".

We enjoy a delicious brunch and just talk about the next few months and how it will all have to fit together and how we will make it work. It will be a puzzle with him having to leave for all the Hobbit press, but we will make do and both look forward to Thanksgiving. It feels so normal to sit here with him and he seems relaxed and happy too.

He empties his freshly squeezed glass of orange juice and leans back "that was yummy" and he gives me a serious look "so tell me, what do the kids want for their birthdays? I need to go shopping, which is not my favorite, but I can do it.....".

"What on earth do you do at Christmas time?".

"I panic and run around Harrod's or in Leicester the last few days".

I chuckle because I can clearly picture that scenario in my head "nice".

"Tell me about it....".

Thinking hard for a minute, I look at him "that is a good question, Rich......uhm, Emma would like anything pink and sparkly, doesn't really matter what it is.....she actually has begged to get her ears pierce, so that is what I am doing for her besides the dress and the party. Elliott is harder........anything Hobbit related he would love, but that might not be as interesting now Thorin himself is part of his life.....so Lego's, he loves Lego;s".

"Okay, I will see what I can do or you might need to help me".

"I'll be happy to do that.....just say when".

We are about t wrap up brunch and Richard is reaching for his wallet to settle the bill when a young boy approaches, looking determined, but a bit shy. He says politely "Excuse me, Mister, but did you play Thorin Oakenshield in the Hobbit?".

Richard gives him a warm smile "I sure did, what's your name?".

"Paul".

They shake hands "it is very nice to meet you, Paul" and Richard looks at me "this is my friend, Lauren". I shake his hand and he turns back to Richard "can I have your autograph and a picture, please?" and he holds out a piece of paper.

"Sure" and he write his name and then hands me a phone "we can have Lauren take it for us" and he crouches down next to Paul, putting a hand around him and I take a few before handing the phone back to Paul, who just beams and thanks us over and over, before leaving. 

I smile at Richard "awww, that was sweet".

"I know......shall we?" and he takes my hand and we walk out of the restaurant, getting a friendly wave from Paul and his entire family as we walk by them. Luckily the paparazzi has left when we come out and we retrieve the car.

We finish at the fabric store and get the kids from Luke's parents, being invited in for tea and we spent a pleasant hour visiting with them. They seem to just welcome Richard and we say a fond farewell when we leave their beautiful home.

Back in the car, Richard looks at me "they are very nice and descent people, aren't they?".

"They are, they are wonderful and I am lucky to have them".

He is driving, but gestures with his hand "that is one of the things I was most nervous about.....meeting them......I didn't know how they would feel, but they have been so warm and lovely".

Elliott pipes up from the back seat "ohh, don't worry, Rich......they already love you and they hope you will marry my Mum someday".

I turn my head "what? When did they say that, Elliott? You are not making things up are you?".

He looks a little offended "of course not....I know better than that.......they said that this weekend, actually Grandma said it".

"That's very nice, honey.......but it wont happen anytime soon......".

He smiles "oh I know, Mum.....but maybe someday......".

"Maybe" and I turn back as Richard reaches for my hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it.

Emma speaks up from the back seat "where are we going? We are going the wrong way, Rich! Our house is the other way".

He speaks over his shoulder "I know, sweetie....we are going to my house today, so you can see it".

Elliott speaks up "really?".

I turn my head "really".

"Wow, so cool".

We pull into Richard's driveway and he parks, leading the way to his back door and unlocking it. We all file it and take our shoes off in the entry way. Emma just walks in, making herself at home and exploring. I am about to get after her, but Richard reaches for my hand "it's alright, just let her.....she'll be more comfortable that way".

"And you might not have a home when she is done".

"I'm sure it will be fine" and he takes Elliott around, showing him the house and then walking over to the front door, Richard reaches for the umbrella stand and pulls out Orcrist. Elliott looks at it in awe, carefully touching the blade and Richard hands it to him "careful, but feel how heavy it is".

He takes it and just holds it "wow, that is so cool" and he looks at me "Mum, this is awesome......I am holding Thorin's sword". He looks at Richard "will you come to my birthday party and bring this? I mean nobody will touch it or anything, I just want my friends to see it.....and meet you?".

I am about to say something, but Richard gives him a smile and places a hand on his shoulder "yes, of course I will come".

"Thanks, Rich...you are the best" and he carefully hands the sword back to Richard, listening as he talks about the different things with the sword, the dragon tooth, the writing on it and he shows him the four diamonds on the handle. They talk some more about it and I just stand and watch them, watching Richard and my son bonding. It makes me choke up a bit and I am in awe of how good Richard is with Elliott.

We all look up when giggles and squeals are heard from upstairs. I am half way up the stairs "I'll go see" and I make it the rest of the way, following the noise to Richard's bedroom and finding a very happy Emma, using his bed as a trampoline and laughing as she jumps into the air. I assume the bed was neatly made before, but not anymore.

"Emma! What on earth do you think you are doing? Get off Rich's bed right now....that is his private space, just like your room is yours. Remember we don't mess with other peoples spaces without asking".

She looks deflated, but jumps off his bed "sorry, Mummy".

"It's alright, sweetie.....just don't do stuff like that without asking. Now help me make the bed since you made the mess". We quickly get the sheets and the duvet cover straightened back out.

Richard and Elliott stick their heads in and Richard gives me a questioning look "everything ok?".

"Yeah, she was just bored and used your bed as a trampoline".

She bats her eyes at Richard, knowing he has no defense against that "sorry...".

He walks over and lifts her up "it's fine........you know, that use to be one of my favorite things to do too as a kid".

She smiles "really?".

"Yeah, me and my brother would sneak in our parents room and jump, but Mum would always catch us. It was more fun on their bed because it was bigger than our own".

We all walk back downstairs and Emma is fascinated by all the books in the library and find some with pictures in them and sits down on the floor to look at them. Richard pulls out a huge box of Lego's that was his when he was a kid and Elliott immediately start constructing something.

We watch them for a few minutes and then he takes my hand, pulling me in the kitchen and into his arms for a warm embrace and several kisses. I rest my head on his chest as he plays with my hair. "This has been such a lovely day, Rich, thank you".

He kisses the top of my head "thank you, love" and he pulls back to look at me "now what should we make for supper?".

"I don't know? Maybe some spaghetti, that's easy".

"Sounds good" and I make a quick run to the supermarket, while he stays home with the kids. 

Walking back in, I put the groceries in the kitchen and go to find them. They are in the library, Elliott is still playing with Lego's and Emma is sitting on Richard's lap as he reads "the Hobbit" to her. He looks up and gives me a happy smile, which I return and then trot back in the kitchen to make dinner.

We have a nice dinner and play a board game after for a while before Richard drives us back home to our house. The kids get ready for bed and it is finally just the two of us, sitting on the couch with the evening tea. He is reading the script for next week and I scroll the internet on my iPad. I check Twitter and sigh "never takes long......".

He looks up "what?".

I turn my iPad so he can see the picture of Paul and him along with a message directed at him "Mr. Armitage, thank you for being so kind today". Of course that is followed by a lot of comments "OMG where did you see him, was this today, was his alone, he looks relaxed and happy, did you talk to him". I assume it is Paul's mom that has replied "it was today at the Blue Hen, he was having brunch with a very pretty woman, they looked very happy together and he was so nice".

Richard looks at me "well at least they got the very pretty woman part right" and he leans in to kiss me "just ignore it, that is all you can do".

"I know" and I kiss him back, our lips lingering a bit. He goes back to his script and I keep scrolling "oh shit".

"What now?" and he puts his papers down and scoots closer, so he can see. Someone else has posted a link to one of the tabloids with the headline "Hobbit Heartthrob out with mystery woman" and sure enough, there is a picture from this morning from outside the restaurant, us hand in hand, wearing sunglasses. He puts his arm around me and kisses my neck "well, at least we both look descent....you look beautiful actually....". I start to giggle as his scruff tickles me and we embrace, holding each other for a while.

I snuggle into him "hmmm.......why don't you just stay....your stuff is already here?".

"You sure, what about the kids?".

"Well, they might as well get use to it".

"If you are sure".

"I am" and I take his hand, leading him upstairs and we get ready for bed, climbing in together and are soon asleep in each others arms, happy and content. 

 


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning:

I am jolted awake when Emma's cheerful voice penetrates my sleepy brain and the bed bounces as she jumps on it "Mum! Mum! Wake up! Rich slept in your bed! Mum!". I open one eye and she crawls up on me and wedges herself in between us on top of the sheets. I feel Richard pulling the sheets tighter around him, he is only wearing his underwear and so am I.

Opening my eyes, I am met with a big grin from Emma "hi Mum".

I yawn "hi sweetie, did you sleep good?".

"Yes, but I'm hungry, can you come cook breakfast right now, please?".

"In a minute, sweetie, Mum needs another minute to wake up, okay?".

"Okay" and she flips around, poking Richard's face and lifting his eyelid "Rich, are you awake?".

I grab her hand "Emma, please don't poke people, it is not nice, honey" and I stifle a giggle when Richard opens his eyes, looking about as sleepy as me.

He croaks "hey pumpkin......yeah I'm awake now after you poked me in the eye".

She looks down "sorry".

Richard pushes the pillow up and leans against the headboard, making sure to pull the sheet and blanket with him "it's alright, Emma.....did you sleep good?".

"Mum just asked that too, but yes and now I'm hungry".

"Well, what are we going to do about that?" and he sits up a little more, stretching his back, making the sheet fall down, exposing his upper body.

"Mum said she would cook breakfast in a minute" and her eyes go big "woah....you have hair on your chest.....my dad didn't have any hair on his chest, but lots of pictures......you don't have any pictures".

He blushes "yeah....well, I think most boys get hair on their chests when they grow up".

I sit up, holding the sheet against me, looking at Emma "they do, sweetie and your dad had hair too, but shaved it off".

She looks at me "why?".

"He just liked it better that way and you could see his pictures better".

Nodding, she says matter of fact "okay...." and she turns to Richard "do you have any pictures on you?".

It takes him a minute to get what she means, but then it dawns on him "no, I don't have any tattoos, but I had to wear pretend ones in movies".

"Cool......have you seen all the ones my dad had?".

He nods "yeah, I have seen the picture in your room where your dad is holding you as a baby, you can see a lot of them".

She beams "I know, I like them and my favorite is the big eagle on his back" and then she turns to me "my Mum doesn't have any" and she crooks her head "Mum, are you naked?".

"No, honey....Mum is wearing underwear".

"But you are not wearing a shirt to cover your boobies?" and she turns back to Richard "have you seen my Mum's boobies? They are big and squishy" and she pokes me.

Richard is trying to keep a straight face "yes, they are very nice" and he smirks at me.

"Emma, please stop poking people, you hear?".

"Sorry, Mum......can you come make food now?".

I sigh and throw the sheets to the side "okay, fine" and I step out of bed in just my panties. Emma runs out of the room, yelling "Yay! Elliott! Mum will come make breakfast and Rich slept in her bed".

Walking over, I close the bedroom door, locking it and catch Richard just staring "what?".

He throws his sheets to the side, revealing a rather large bulge in his underwear and he groans "this.....you parading around in just your panties is not a good plan" and he reaches out for me, pulling me in for a searing kiss "you turn me on like nothing else" and caresses my breast with one hand, running his thumb over my nipple "I agree with Emma, your do have very nice breasts.....very nice".

I moan, kissing him and leaning over him, reaching down to touch his thigh and moving my hand up to cup his erection, making him push into my hand with a deep moan "and I really like this about you.......but I need to go make breakfast or she wont shut up" and when our lips part, I rub him again and lick his ear "maybe after, we can have a shower.....together" and I let go, walking in the closet, adding over my shoulder "shower sex is another one of my favorites".

He whimpers and jumps out of bed, following me in the closet, pushing me against the wall and rubbing himself against me, groaning in my ear "bloody hell, Lauren.....how am I suppose to sit through breakfast with a hard on and that thought".

"No idea, but maybe I can help" and I start kissing him along his jawline, down his throat and over his shoulders, trailing wet kisses over his chest, licking his nipples into hard peaks and then further down, over his stomach. His abs tightens in anticipation and I seductively slide his underwear down and kiss his hip bone. He leans against the island dresser in the closet, his breathing picking up and he lets out a strangled moan as I finally lick him from base to tip, swirling my tongue around his swollen head "ohhh fuck". I open my mouth and swallow him down and he groans when my wet mouth closes around his rock hard cock and I start bobbing my head, sucking harder and when I hollow my cheeks he lets out a stream of profanities and I feel his fingers tangle in my hair. I reach up and gently roll his balls, feeling them tighten and he grunts, fighting the urge to thrust his hips. I sense he is close and I pick up the speed a little more, earning a few more swear words and moans of pleasure from him "ohhh, fuck...shit....ohhh god" and he looks down, seeing himself slide in and out of my mouth and the visual brings him right to the edge. He manages to let out a warning in a strangled croak "Lauren...I'm going to...." and I grab his behind, letting him know it is okay and I feel him twitch and he comes hard with a deep sob "ohhhhhh fuck" and I swallow it all as he spurts over and over, finally sagging against the dresser, totally spent.

I make sure to lick him clean, being gentle, knowing he is more sensitive and then pull off him, standing back up and he drags me into his arms and crashes his lips against mine, catching me by surprise. Most men are not into kissing after you blow them. He doesn't seem to mind and gives me a deep kiss, his chest still heaving and he looks into my eyes, his still a bit hazy from post orgasmic bliss "bloody hell, love....that was incredible......".

I smirk " now you can enjoy breakfast and we can shower later".

He playfully swats my behind "we will and I will repay you, I promise".

"I'll hold you to it" and we get dressed, just throwing on some casual lounge wear. We join the kids and help each other make breakfast and it feels oddly normal to be here, together with them and they don't seem to think it is odd at all that Richard spent the night.

After breakfast we work on their homework, Emma is practicing alphabet sounds and a few simple sight words with me and Richard listens to Elliott read and go over his list of spelling words. Elliott does his math quickly and soon homework is out of the way. The kids run off to play we enjoy a little bit of time by ourselves, just sitting on the couch.

Richard has his arm around me and I am leaning my head on his shoulder, feeling content and happy. He turns his head to kiss the top of my head "this is nice, love....".

I sigh "I know, Rich".

"So any plans for today besides that shower?" and he wiggles an eyebrow.

I elbow him lightly "you horny bastard".

He grins and kisses me "well, I can't help it".

The kiss deepens an little and I suck on his lower lip before letting go "me neither, Rich.....I can't get enough" and I touch his face before continuing "no, not much....so I was thinking.........do you think your parents want to come to dinner tonight? I'll make a roast or something".

"Maybe....I can ask them, but are you sure you want to do that?".

"Yeah, it will be fine.....I would love to meet them and they should probably meet the woman you practically lives with and her children".

"I guess" and he looks serious "did this happen to fast....I mean that I am basically living here, is it odd?".

I look at him "what do you mean, Rich?".

He gestures with his hands "I don't know.......I mean, I guess maybe I thought we would have this big discussion about it and make it complicated".

I reach for his hand "I don't think it is odd, I think it just sort of happened gradually and to me it just feels right......you know, just a natural progression of things".

"It does to me too and that is great, besides the kids don't seem to mind".

Looking at him, I smile "and maybe that is because we have just let things happen and not made a big deal out of it".

"Probably" and he says quietly "they really are great.....I never thought I could feel like this about someone else's kids......you know".

I reach out to touch his face "but I am profoundly grateful that you do and proud of you, that you have just embraced them and let yourself fall into their routine and our lives".

He pulls me into his lap and our noses touch "I wouldn't have it any other way, Lauren........I love you more than I thought I could ever love someone and I love them".

Tears well up in my eyes and I sniffle "ohhh Rich...I love you too....more than you will ever know".

"Please don't cry, love" and he wipes a few tears from my cheek with the pad of his thumb and I see his own eyes get glassy and his voice breaks "shit....now you got me crying too" and we embrace, holding each other tight, both feeling the strong emotions of the deep feelings and bond we are building.

Fast footsteps jolts us out of our own little blissful world and Emma comes running in and stops in her tracks "What's the matter, Mummy? Are you sad? You look sad.....is that why Rich is hugging you like that?".

I look up from having my head on his shoulder, his arms are still tightly wrapped around me and I smile at her "no, honey......I'm fine....mum is just feeling really happy......sometimes you cry when you are very happy".

"Ohh I know......like the picture of Daddy holding me when I was first born?".

"Exactly, that was probably one of the happiest day's of his life, honey".

She gives us a thoughtful look and climbs onto the couch and comes to sit right up against us and she puts her little arms around us "well, I'm really happy today".

"Why, sweetie?".

"She beams "because you are happy and that Rich is here".

Richard smiles at her and touches her face "I'm glad I'm here too, pumpkin".

She gets up and starts jumping on the couch and we just look at each other and laugh. She bounces a bit high and misses the couch, Richard reacts in a split second, grabbing me around my waist so I don't fall when he moves and reaches out and gets his arm around her at the last second. Emma looks frightened for a moment, but then starts to giggle when she lands on the couch.

I about have a heart attack, seeing head injury with a cracked skull flashing in my brain and I let out a breath, hugging Richard "nice catch......that could have ended badly" and i turn to Emma "sweetie, you really need to be more careful".

"I know, Mum, but I'm glad Rich caught me" and she throws her arms around his neck and kisses his cheek "thank you".

He hugs her back "your welcome, pumpkin, but please be careful......Elliott already broke his arms, we don't need anyone else in a cast" and he tentatively kisses her back.

Emma giggles "your beard is pokey" and she gets off the couch "I'm going to go back to playing now".

I look at her "alright........Mum and Rich are going to go shower in a minute.....Rich's parents might come for dinner tonight".

"Are they old?".

Richard tries not to laugh "well, not really, but you probably think they are......they are about the same age as your Grandma and Grandpa Roberts".

"Okay......." and she is off.

We look at each other and I chuckle "the never ending adventure with a 6 year old....".

"I think she is hilarious and very sweet".

"Well she sure likes you".

"I'm flattered......I honestly didn't know if I could ever have a relationship with kids.....you know like a real one.....I mean, I love my nephew and we get along, but this is different since I am in their lives almost daily".

"You are very good at it, Rich and I am not just saying that.........you have just allowed it to develop naturally and on their terms, that makes all the difference in the world". I lean in and kiss him deeply "and now, should we go have that shower?".

He looks a little reluctant "are you sure? I mean....".

I cut him off "are you having second thoughts about it now, Rich? Before it was the highlight of your day".

Leaning really close, he croaks in my ear "I think it will be hard to top that blow job you gave me earlier.....bloody hell......but if you are sure, then I am willing to try and top that....I still owe you".

"Yes you do, come on big guy....." and I get up, taking his hand and haul him upstairs. I stick my head in Elliott's room "hey.....we are going to take a shower, can you keep an eye on your sister?".

He looks up from the massive Lego structure currently under construction on his Lego table "sure, Mum".

"And Rich's parents might come over for dinner tonight so they can meet us all".

Elliott grins "yeah, Emma told me and she said they were as old as the dinosaurs".

"Your sister has a very big imagination".

"I know, Mum....." and go in my room, locking the door behind me.

Richard is sitting on the edge of the bed, talking on his cell "yes, Mum...Lauren would like to invite you to dinner tonight if you and Dad are up for it? Yes......really close to my house........uhu.......yes, they will be here........." and he looks at me "I don't know.....6 o' clock for dinner?"

I nod and start to shed my close. 

His eyes go big, but I ignore him and he tries to concentrate on the voice on the other end of the phone "yes, she says 6......okay, see you then, Mum......goodbye" and he hangs up "they are delighted and dying to meet you".

I come out of the closet totally naked "oh good, it will be nice to meet them".

He pulls me down on his lap and kisses me silly, licking and biting my shoulder and collar bone "and what are you trying to do to me? Drive me crazy? Because that is what you do...." and he runs a hand over my naked skin and up to cup a full breast, kneading it gently in his hand and then he dips down and latches on with his mouth, gently sucking on my sensitive nipple. I moan as it goes straight to my core and I feel myself starting to throb between my legs and I shift a little. He notice and runs a hand up my leg and thigh, softly pushing my legs apart and dwells into my wet folds. He groans when he feels how wet I am and quickly finds my clit with his thumb, starting to rub in circles. I arch my back and whimper, grinding into his hand and needing more. I can feel his bulging erection pressing hard and demanding into my thigh through his PJ bottoms.

We are kissing with passion and he rotates his hand, plunging his long index finger inside me and he bites his lower lip when he feels my internal muscles grip him tightly as he starts to move it in and out, bringing me close to climax by finger fucking me and still thumbing my clit. We finally break for air and I pant "shower, now!" and he slides his finger out, giving me a lustful stare and does a good job seductively licking my juices from it. 

Yanking him to his feet, I make quick work of his pants, pulling them down over his hips along with his underwear, his beautiful cock springing free, hard, big and the head glistening with pre cum. I rub him a few times and he groans, shedding his shirt in one fluid motion and then taking my hand and leading me in the bathroom. He turns around and we kiss each other deeply, both sighing as we meet skin to skin.

I turn on both shower heads and step in, relishing in the hot water over my skin and he follows suit, enjoying the spray of the warm water over hi entire body. He reaches out for me and we kiss again, our tongues meeting in a deep, passionate kiss and he pulls me close before making me sit on the seat in there. He drops to his knees and spreads my legs, lifting one over his shoulder and he dives in with his mouth, letting his tongue move over all my sensitive areas. I moan my encouragement "ohhh, ohhh, Rich....ohhh yeah, right there.....more" and I lean back, feeling the tension building as he runs his tongue all over, licking and sucking, alternating speeds. It doesn't take long before I feel the tension reaching the high and I climax with moan "ohhhhhhhhh, Rich!" and he slows down, drawing out the pleasure for me as long as possible.

Panting wildly, I am leaning against him and he looks up "shit it is hot to hear and feel you come like that, love".

I pull him in for a searing kiss and then he stand back up and I do too. He is rock hard, his shaft resting against his abs and I reach out to touch him, feeling him just pulse under my touch. He looks at me, his eyes blown wide and a dark blue with arousal and he pushes me against the wall, lifting me up when he know I am ready. I wrap my legs around him and reach for him, guiding him to my entrance and letting him slide in. I bite his shoulder as I slide down on him, it feels so good to be filled by his big cock and he grunts when out hips meet "fuck".

He holds still for a few seconds and then he starts sliding in and out of me, drawing moans of pleasure from us both. The water is hitting his back and he picks up the speed, breathing hard in my ear and muttering a few profanities as he gets close to the edge "ohh fuck, shit, urghhh, fuck....ohh good" and he thrusts a few more times and then comes with a groan of deep pleasure as he pushes as deep as he can and releases his hot seed, spurting over and over. 

We cling to each other, his forehead pressed against mine and our eyes finally meet and I smile at him "good?".

He kisses me "yeah.....and I guess clean up is easy" and he slides out of me, gently letting me back on my feet before he draws me in for another hug and tender kiss. 

We stand under the spray of water for a few second longer before moving away from each other, so we can actually shower and get clean for the day.

I hand him a fluffy towel and we get dressed slowly, making sure to caress and kiss every few minutes, relishing in the intimacy and love we share.


	14. Chapter 14

The Next day:

I am walking to lunch in the cafeteria, my boots clanking loudly over the floor as I make my way up the stairs. I am suppose to meet Richard for a bite, but he never came down, so I assume filming got delayed and he didn't answer my text. I smile, thinking about yesterday, how we spent the afternoon with his parents and then he just ended up staying the night. The kids didn't even bat an eye this morning and we all had a quick breakfast together before we jumped in my car and took them to school, both waving goodbye and then we headed into BBC. I will be sad when shooting wraps in a few weeks, it will be strange not having Richard here every single day.

Reaching the doors to the cafeteria, I turn when I hear his voice down the hall "Lauren!" and he comes sprinting down, still wearing Thornton's clothes, the white shirt, vest and black trousers. He is out of breath by the time he gets to me, but he still scoops me into his arms and kisses me silly, getting out in between huffs "sorry I'm late for lunch......it went over".

"It's fine, Rich....I figured you did and just got too hungry. I tried to text you...".

"I know, but I was on the phone...." and he sees my questioning look "I'll tell you over lunch".

I nod "okay" and he pulls me into his arms again, just holding me, kissing my hair and whispering in my ear "I love you....I still can't believe I met you...".

"GET A ROOM" and we both look up and Brendan is standing a few feet from us, grinning.

"Shut up, Brendan" and I pretend to kick after his shin.

He chuckles and looks at Richard "you better watch out, she is a feisty one", but then he looks a bit more serious "I'm so happy for you both, it really is disgusting to see how happy you both are" and he walks off, giving us a wink.

We both laugh and Richard takes my hand and we go in and find something for lunch. He stand behind me in the line, his arms wrapped tightly around me, his head resting on my shoulder as we make our way up the line. I order a BLT sandwich and he gets a roast beef sandwich with a side of fresh, hot chips to share. We find the quiet corner, after waving to a couple of cast and crew members-they have pretty much accepted that we often eat by ourselves.

We sit down and he plops down across from me, hungrily shoving a couple of french fries in his mouth and taking a big drink from his water bottle. I look at him "starving?".

"A bit.....breakfast was rather quick this morning...".

I lift an eyebrow "are you complaining about your current accommodations and breakfast services? If I recall correctly, you are the one that cooked this morning".

He puts a hand in defense "no, no....not at all and I only have myself to blame this morning, I could have eaten more and yes, I cooked, you were doing Emma's hair because we didn't want her to be ridiculed at school if I had attempted to do it".

I grin "true".

"No, I just got hungry, we were outside on set today for a bit".

I take a couple of fries from the pile and look at him "so who were you talking to when texted you?".

"Ohh right...my folks" and he smiles "I think they are in love....." and he sees my questioning eyes and adds "with you and the kids".

"What do you mean?".

"They just wanted to call and gush over the lovely afternoon and evening they had yesterday with us. They had a wonderful time, they think you are gorgeous and the kids adorable" and he laughs "my dad is totally bonkers for Emma.......remember he only has a grandson, but she has him wrapped around her finger".

"Just like she has you wrapped around too".

He sighs and nods "I guess so.......".

"That's nice though, I'm glad they enjoyed themselves.....they are great people and I can see how much they love you, Rich. I did catch your mum looking at you when you picked up Emma and hugged her before supper, I could tell she was moved".

"I think she has always wanted me to get married and have a family".

"Well, I guess you have one now......".

He takes my hand and locks eyes with me "I do and I could not be more grateful" and leans over the table, giving me a soft kiss, not giving a damn about who might see us.

We break and exchange a happy smile before going back to eating our lunch, quietly talking about his lovely parents and how they had expressed their happiness for him, that he had found us and that we were together.

 

Saturday:

Today is Emma's birthday and we woke her up singing "Happy birthday" to her and made American pancakes for breakfast. 

I prepped most of the food for her party last night after work. Richard got here late, bringing home a takeout pizza. He mumbled something about having to finish something at work, which I found a bit odd, but let it go. He is a big boy and can do what he wants. 

Elliott went next door after breakfast to play, he didn't want to tag along as we take his sister to get her ears pierced. She has begged me for years to get them done and I finally decided to give in. Richard is driving, I'm giving him directions and Emma is happily chatting our ears off in the back seat "so I'm going to get sparkly earrings today, Mum....do you think they have pink ones? I really want pink ones or maybe blue ones, what do you think, Rich? I guess you are a boy so you dont like pink ones......Mum, Mum, can I borrow your earrings now? I think I want pink ones".

Richard and I exchange a glance and can't help but smile at her, she can get very talkative. 

I turn around "I don't know what kind they have, sweetie, you will just have to pick something and then you can change them out once your ears have healed and yes, you may borrow some of mine now, but you need to ask first, not all of them are meant for little girls".

"I know, Mum.....like the expensive ones?".

"Yeah, those are only meant for special occasions or for Mum to wear".

Richard takes a hand of the steering wheel and reaches inside his Belstaff jacket and pulls out a box, wrapped in pink shiny paper with a white ribbon. He reaches behind "here, pumpkin....see if these will do, Happy Birthday!".

Emma grins and takes it, ripping the ribbon and paper off and then opens the polished wood box inside and squeals with delight "I LOVE them!" and she giggles with delight, trying to contain her excitement, showing me "Oh my gosh, Mum! Rich got me pink diamond earrings....can I have those put in, pretty please?".

He laughs when he sees how excited she is "they are pink sapphire, sweetie....pink diamonds are a bit more".

I take the box from Emma and look at the beautiful tiny heart shaped earrings, set in rose gold with pave set pink sapphires. They are the perfect size for a girl her age, very dainty and pretty. I look at Richard "they are gorgeous, Rich, but that was a bit extravagant".

"No, not at all, you only turn 6 once in your life and have a princess fairy party".

I smile "I guess" and I turn to look at Emma "I think they can make those fit your ears today......you are a very lucky little girl".

Emma reaches for the box "thank you, Rich....I love them so much".

"You are welcome, sweetie"

We pull into the parking lot in front of "Ink" and Richard looks at me with questioning eyes "exactly what is Emma having done today? A tattoo parlor?".

"They do piercings too and they are a lot more clean and precise than those places at the shopping centers......besides, Aidan was Luke's good buddy, he did all his tattoos over the years".

Emma gets out of her car seat and throws her arms about the drivers seat and Richard's neck "thank you". He turns around as much as he can and hugs her back "my pleasure, pumpkin" and he hesitates for a moment before he looks her in the eyes "I love you so much".

"I love you too, Rich" and she lets go and opens the car door.

I reach for his hand and our eyes meet, nothing need to be said, we just share a moment, both knowing that this means so much to both of us.

We get out and walk in, Emma is just fascinated by all the colors, the art on the wall and the pictures of the work that the shop has done. She stops in front of the wall behind the counter and points "that's Daddy's back" and I nod at the giant poster size picture of Luke's very detailed eagle on his broad back. The feathers are beautifully outlined and colored. I had not been crazy about it when he started work on it, but must admit it turned out like a beautiful piece of art.

"Yes it is, sweetie".

Aidan comes from the back and breaks into a big grin "Lauren.....so great to see you" and he hugs me, kissing my cheek. He is a big and burly guy, long hair and both arms heavily tattooed, but he is one of the kindest people I have ever met.

"Good to see you too" and I turn to Richard "Aidan, please meet Richard, my boyfriend".

They shake hands and Aidan looks at him with curiosity "nice to meet you, man.......it is about damn time she found someone descent and that will treat her like Luke did".

Richard looks a bit uncomfortable, but smiles "nice to meet you too and thanks, I think....I'll do my best" and he looks at me, his eyes saying so much "she is very special....Luke was a lucky man".

"Yes he was and he knew it too" and Aidan scoops Emma up in his arms "and look at you, Emma.........you have grown so much....ready to get your ears pierced".

She nods "yes and look what Rich gave me for my birthday" and she holds up the box "can I wear those?".

Aidan looks at them and whistles "nice....and yes, we can put those in" and he puts Emma down.

"Yeah!" and she does a happy dance, making us all laugh.

I try to reign her in a bit "careful, Emma....don't want you to fall, sweetie".

Aidan pats the tattoo chair "okay.......Emma, jump up here....or maybe your Mum better sit and hold you?".

"I want to sit on Rich's lap".

He looks at me and I just motions for him to go ahead "knock yourself out", so he takes a seat and Emma climbs into his lap. Aidan carefully marks her ears, asking me if the placement looks good and I give my approval. He rubs some numbing creme on her ears and we wait a few minutes and Richard holds her hands and Aidan's asks her if she is ready, to which she nods, squeezing her eyes shut. He is very fast and efficient, making two holes with a needle in no time and placing the earrings. Emma doesn't even flinch and when it is over and he hands her the mirror to look, she just grins "that didn't even hurt". 

She keeps admiring her ears and those earrings are just perfect and sparkling.

We thank Aidan very much and leave to drive home to get ready for the party.

Emma runs next door to join Elliott playing with Claire and Martin as soon as we get home, to get out of my hair and I am setting the birthday table. I drape a very pink table cloth over the table and hang sparkling strings of beads from the lamp. I bought some plastic, fancy looking glasses at a party store and put them out. 

Richard goes to get the cake.

I'm roaming around in a closet in the room behind the family room, they share the double fire place. I hear Richard's voice "Lauren? I'm home...where are you? I got the cake".

Sticking my head out of the closet, I answer "in the office behind the family room, across from my office and the guest room".

Footsteps come nearer and I step out as he comes in, tentatively saying "hey" and he walks over to give me a soft kiss, letting it linger a bit, a sweet reminder of the hot sex we shared last night.

"Hey yourself" and I hug him "how is the cake?".

"It is very pink and sparkly" and he looks around "I've never been in here before, this is a great space".

"I know" and I pause for a minute "it was Luke's office......I left it untouched for a couple of years and then finally last year removed his desk and started to do something with it....".

He hugs me tight "I'm sorry.........".

Leaning my head in his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, I sigh "don't be.......we got dealt those cards and I eventually had to move on....".

Studying the room, he looks at me "it would make a great library with the fireplace and the window".

"I thought about that.....just need someone to come built some book shelves along the walls".

"What are you doing in here anyway right now?".

"Getting the fine china out for her royal highness' birthday lunch" and I point in the closet.

"Can I help?".

"Sure" and I go back in the closet, looking through a couple of big boxes until I exclaim "aha.....I knew it was in here" and I hand him a stack of fine porcelain plates with an elegant silver pattern around the edge.

"Wow, these are fancy".

I come back out, carrying a wooden box and I lift it "silverware......and yes, I know.......it is our wedding china, his parents insisted on giving it to us".

"I thought you eloped?".

"Oh we did, but when his parents found out, they still threw a big reception for us at their house".

He nods "I can see them do that..".

"Yeah, they love to entertain and they were so happy for us and wanted to celebrate it".

"And your folks?"

I smile "well, you have already heard my mother saying she will never forgive me and I think they would have wanted the wedding, my father walking me down the aisle and all that, but in the end they were happy and threw us a party on the ranch too".

"You are their only daughter, remember....".

"Oh I know, Rich......".

We get the table set with the dishes and silverware and I make sure we have the sparkling apple juice chilling in the fridge. I peak at the cake "you were right, very pink, but I guess that's what she wanted".

"Exactly, love" and he wraps his arms around me in the kitchen and lowers his head for a kiss, gently placing a hand on the back of my neck, bringing me a closer as he deepens the kiss, opening my mouth with his warm, wet tongue. I moan into his mouth and return his kisses, letting my hands roam over his back, he is just wearing a t-shirt today.

We finally break and I smile "what are you doing?".

"Just loving you...." and he grabs my jean clad behind, pulling me flush against him, his hard bulge pressing into my stomach.

"Whatever, Rich.......I think someone is horny" and I reach between us to place a hand over his straining erection.

He growls into my mouth "ughhhh, fuck....yes, very....." and it turns into a moan when I rub him "ohhhh more, Lauren...please".

"Yesterday wasn't enough?" and I lick his ear, knowing it drives him up a wall.

"It's never enough with you......and we didn't do much during the week".

"Because we were both too tired by the time we got done with work, homework, activities, dinner and the kids".

He places kisses down my neck "I know...so it is good we have the weekends...".

"Yeah, except we have 7 little girls arriving here in about an hour".

"I can be quick" and he licks my throat, slipping a hand under my shirt, up my naked back.

I find him pretty much irresistible, grabbing his face with both hands and kissing him with passion "fine...but let me at least throw the mac and cheese in the oven first". He releases me, well at least enough so I can turn around and walk over to the fridge, getting the pan out. He is walking right behind me, still trying to kiss my neck and shoulder. I try not to giggle "Rich, stop.....I don't want to drop the pan".

He puts a strong arm around my mid section "you wont, I got you.." and I make it to the oven, opening the door and bending over to put it in. I hear a muffled groan from him "damn...there is a visual".

I know what he means and close the oven door, but not getting up. I turn my head and smirk "what? Can't handle the heat in the kitchen, Rich" and I wiggle my behind.

He grabs my hips, bringing me flush with his bulge and bends over, kissing my neck while snaking a hand under my shirt, finding my breast and kneading it with his hand "no, I can't.....you fucking drive me crazy......I just want to take you right now, just like this" and he thrusts forward, holding me in place with his other hand.

I throw my head back and moan "ohhh god yes....please" and wetness pools between my thighs.

Richard pulls me back up, spins me around and crashes his lips against mine, opening my mouth with his tongue and does his best to devour me. My hands are tugging at his hair and then moves down his back, feeling every muscles through the thin fabric of his t-shirt. I grab his butt, pulling him closer and we are both moaning in want and need. His lips are all over and he bites my neck and groans "Lauren....I need you...".

I am just as breathless "I need you too, Rich, but not in the kitchen.....the kids could burst in and we would have to pay for therapy for the next 20 years.......my office.....there is a lock on the door or upstairs....".

He growls in my mouth "your office is closer" and we more or less drag each other down the hall and in there. He shuts the door and flips the lock. 

We look at each other, lust and arousal reflecting back and I hurry and undo my jeans, pulling them off my legs quickly, tossing them over the chair. He takes two steps towards me, unbuttoning his pants and unzipping them. We meet again in a heated kiss, my hands sliding under his t-shirt and then down to his open jeans and I snake a hand in his underwear, taking hold of his rock hard shaft. He pushes into my hand and groans when his fingers push my panties to the side, finding my soaking wet center. 

I grind against his hand and moan "urghhh....Rich.....I need you....I want you to fuck me, please".

He looks at me and then turns me around and I rest my arms on my giant, solid wood, craft/cutting table. I look back at him as he shoves his pants down his legs along with his boxer briefs, his beautiful cock springing free and I throb when I see him stroking himself a couple of times before reaching for my panties, pulling on them. I kick them all the way off and spreads my legs more and bend over, exposing my wet sex to him. He grunts as he caresses my behind "so damn beautiful" and I feel him sliding between my lips a few times. It feels good, but I need more, I need him inside of me.

"Rich stop teasing......" and his swollen head catches on my opening and I push back, making him slide in, my walls welcoming him as he penetrates me to the hilt. I gasp as he fills me and soon he is leaning over me, panting in my ear "fuck that feels good, Lauren.....shit".

We both know this will be over quickly. He has one hand tangled in my hair and the other under my shirt, cupping a breast briefly before palming over my stomach and down to my very core. I buck my hips when he finds my swollen clit with his thumb, drawing him in deeper and he starts to tease my sensitive bundle of nerves in the way he knows will get me there fast. I moan and he begins to move in and out of me, thrusting in deep, long strokes while still stimulating me. 

His hard cock feels so good, the way his thick shaft touches all the right places and his head rubs against a certain spot inside of me every time he slides in, sending jolts of pleasure through my entire body. I am a moaning mess "fuck, Rich....right there.....ohhh, harder......so close".

He grunts with every thrust and his movements become more erratic, his balls slapping against my behind as he pounds into me and I can tell he is fast approaching climax. He strokes me in rhythm with his thrusts and a few more and I clench and contract around him, moaning loudly as I orgasm "ohhhhh Rich...ohhh god". 

Richard feels me come and it sets off his own release, he thrusts a few more time and then holds me firmly to him as shoots his hot load in spurts with a deep growl "ohhhh fuck yes". 

We are both breathing heavy, our chests heaving, my shirt is plastered to me from the sweat and he is leaned against my back. I let out a breath "fuck that was good, Rich...".

He chuckles and kisses my damp neck "I agree.....quickies can be amazing" and we stay like this for a few more minutes, just enjoying the intimacy and closeness. He eases up a bit "I think we are about to make a mess, so hold on...." and he takes off his t-shirt before pulling out, using it to clean us both up.

I turn around and we meet in a soft kiss, letting our lips linger a bit. "Thanks, Rich.....I think we might both need to change".

He nods and I pull on my underwear and he yanks his boxer briefs and jeans back up and we hurry and make our way upstairs. He tosses the t-shirt in the washer and my entire outfit follows except my jeans. I stand naked in the closet and he comes up behind me, just clad in his jeans, his chest still bare and he wraps his arms around me, kissing my shoulder and neck "you better get dressed, love or I might go for round two....".

I giggle and turn around in his arms, our lips meeting in a tender kiss "we don't have time for that right now, Rich.....kiddos will be here soon" and he reluctantly lets me go so I can get redressed and he finds another t-shirt to wear too. I fix my hair a bit and then we go downstairs, holding hands and awaiting the arrival of the birthday girl and her guests.

A few minutes later Emma busts through the door with Claire and her mom, Krista in tow, she will help me do their nails after lunch. Richard and her exchange pleasantries and Krista wiggles an eyebrow at me, I just smile and shake my head. The homemade chicken nuggets are baking in the oven now along the macaroni and cheese. Richard is finishing the fruit skewers with pink marshmallows in between strawberries, grapes, pineapple and kiwi pieces-sticking them in a half watermelon when done.

The next 15 minutes the door opens several times until Emma's birthday guests are all assembled. She opens her presents in the front room, getting lots of different things, all in the color pink. She remembers to thank every one and I write down who gave her what, so she can properly send them a note of appreciation later. 

The girls are being girls, loud, giggly and silly. I am wondering if Richard is going to be up for this or if it is just too much, but watching him, he seems to enjoy their antics and I see the joy on his face as he watches Emma having so much fun.

Lunch is served, so we call them all to the table and help dish up what they want and pour the sparkling apple juice in their glasses. We step over in the kitchen and have some lunch too. Krista looks excited taking a serving of the macaroni and cheese "this was the only reason I agreed to come help you today, Lauren....just so I could have this".

I look at her "very funny......but I know, it is good".

"It is do die for and I don't want to know what is in it, but I am sure it is not good for you".

"Most of the good stuff never is, is it?".

She laughs "no, you got that right" and she looks at Richard "so are you surviving this so far, Rich?".

"Yeah, it is not too bad...they are a little loud, but that is kids for you" and he takes a bite of the macaroni and cheese, looks at me, making a satisfied noise "oh my god this is good....." and he eyes the rest of the pan "you might need to hide that from me or I will eat the entire thing".

Krista nods in agreement "I know......it is so good and so bad at the same time".

I give him a smile "thanks, Rich...it is my mom's recipe, passed down from her mother and I only make it a few times a year".

He enjoys the dish and bites into the chicken nugget and looks pleasantly surprised "these are tasty too, never been a nugget fan, always thought it was cheap kids food, but these....".

"They are made with hand cut chicken breast dipped in egg wash and then in a panko, real parmesan reggiano and fresh herbs, then baked in the oven and the honey mustard sauce is home made too".

He grins "can you just move in? Oh wait, this is your house......I mean, maybe I will never leave" and he keeps eating as we exchange a look.

Krista looks at us both "you guys are too cute for words.......".

We don't say anything, but just both give her a knowing smile.

The girls are eating and chatting, giggling and laughing at the table for a while longer and then they make it to the front room to play a few games and Krista and I start doing their nails. Richard is quietly clearing plates from the dining table, keeping an eye of the games and listening to us chat with the girls. 

I am painting Emma's nails, of course a very glittery pink and she calls for Richard "Rich, come look at my nails".

He peaks over my shoulder "very pretty, pumpkin".

She beams "thank you....you should get yours painted too".

I can't see his facial expression, but I hear him pause for a second and then his big hand appears next to mine and he nuzzles my neck "okay, just my thumbs and only because it is your birthday".

Emma giggles in delight and I turn, giving him a grin as I quickly apply the girly polish to his nails. He leans in to kiss me "thank you, love" and he winks.

We finally get all the girls done and I go in my office to find the box with the fairy wings and the plastic tiaras I bought at a party store. Each of them get a set of wings, they have straps to go over their arms and a tiara to wear. It is quite a sight of frilly dresses (we asked them to dress up), wings and glittering, fake diamonds. I made Emma a very elaborate dress to wear today. 

Krista snaps several pictures as we get them to pose, photography is another hobby of hers. She turns the lens towards Richard and I, he grabs me around the waist and gives her the biggest smile. She looks at the image "awww, that is just adorable and Rich, those pink nails suits you".

We start the movie, handing out snack bowls for each of them with a juice box, popcorn and some candy. We thank Krista for all her help and she goes home to print pictures so the girls can take it home in a frame when they leave.

The kids are engrossed in their movie, so I make some tea and Richard and I go sit in the front room, enjoying a few minutes of peace and quiet. I am leaning against the back of the couch, he has his arm around me and holding my hand and placing soft kisses on my temple and on my ear, whispering "I love you".

I lean my head on his shoulder after giving him a kiss "I love you too, Rich.......thanks for being so helpful today, for helping to give Emma such a lovely party" and I touch the pink nail polish on his thumb.

He kisses the top of my head "your welcome, just doing what I think Luke would have done for his little girl". That hits home and I just burst into tears and he looks bewildered at me for a moment and then pulls me into his arms "I'm sorry, love....I didn't mean to upset you....".

I cry some more and hug him tight "you didn't upset me, Rich......you are doing exactly what I hope someone would do for my kids, be there for them like he would have been".

He rubs my back and I sniffle a little and he lifts my head, wiping a tear from my cheek with the pad of his thumb "well, they deserve that and so do you".

"Thank you, Rich.....for loving us, all of us".

"I wouldn't know how not to love all of you" and he gets a little smirk "but I must admit, I do love you the most, I do have a favorite".

"I think that is allowed" and we exchange another kiss.

"Good.....and because you are my favorite, I got you something.....I bought it with Emma's earrings last night, that is where I was....out buying things". He gets up and walks over to his jacket on the coat rack and fishes out a box, handing it to me "here, hope you love them...I thought the Mum needed something to match her daughter".

I take the box and look at him "oh Rich, you don't need to buy me things".

"Well, I wanted to and since your birthday is not until spring.....".

Carefully unwrapping the box, I slide my nail under the wrapping paper and peel it off. I look at the polished wooden box inside, stamped with the name of a famous London jeweler-funny enough, my engagement ring from Luke came from the same place. I flip the lid open and gasp "ohhh Rich...they are so lovely, but way too much...." and I carefully take the delicate earrings out. They have a diamond stud at the top, set in white gold and then a thin line of pave set pink sapphires, ending in a tiny heart shaped dangle of more pave set, pink sapphires, set in rose gold. They are very elegant.

He is watching my face, to make sure I like them and he breaks into a smile when it is apparant that I do "no, nothing is too much for you, Lauren" and he smirks "I mentioned your name in the store and got a fond response, I guess Luke use to shop for you there?".

I nod "he did.....I have quite a collection, but don't wear it much, running around with the kids and working with my hands....wearing jewelry like that, other than earrings, just doesn't work. My engagement ring mostly sat in a box, it would scratch the kids or him, not practical, but these are beautiful, Rich.......thank you" and I reach for his face, pulling him in for a kiss.

"You're welcome, love" and we sit close for a little bit longer, until Krista knocks on the door and comes in, carrying the printed pictures.

Richard goes in the family room to keep an eye on the girls, while Krista and I go in my office, quickly putting the pictures in the frames. She looks at me and grins "things are still pretty hot between you two?".

I blush "what are you talking about?".

She smirks "oh come on.....it was pretty evident when we all came over, that you had just had a mind blowing quickie".

Turning redder, I stammer "how...how do you know?".

"Because Rich had the look of just having fucked you really, really good......he looked blissfully satisfied".

"He did......".

She laughs "good for you" and she gets a bit more serious "I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see you like this, Lauren.....and the kids, you all seem so happy and content with him".

"Thank you......I know, I pinch myself often, it almost seems unreal, but we are happy.......he is an incredible man".

Krista nods "he is and the kids sure seem to love him too".

"I think it is because he doesn't try too hard, you know....he is just there" and I look towards the family room "speaking of which.......I think the movie is over and all I hear is Rich's voice".

We both get up and walk in there, finding Rich in front of the TV, Emma's fairy tale book in hand, reading one to the girls, who are all spellbound on the couches and the floor. He is wearing Emma tiara on his head and she is sitting at his feet just looking up at him with total adoration in her eyes. He looks up, seeing us and a faint blush creeps up on his cheeks, but he keeps in character and continues the story. I fish my phone out and take a couple of pictures.

The doorbell rings and several moms file in to pick up their kids and catch the tail end of the story time. When Richard ends, the girls cheer and clap and Emma hugs his thighs and he lifts her up and she kisses him and puts her head on his shoulder, earning several loud "awwws" from the audience. Krista motions for all of the girls to pose for a final group picture, putting Richard in the middle with Emma on his lap. Pictures get snapped and then it is time to say goodbye to all the birthday guests.

Once everyone leaves, Emma carries her loot upstairs and stays in her room playing with her things. Richard and I collapse on the couch. He lets out a breath "bloody hell that was exhausting.....they sure have a lot of energy".

I laugh and tug my head on his shoulder as he wraps his arm around me "yes they do, but thanks so much for helping out so much......they especially loved story time, I think".

He smiles "your welcome....." and we sit there for a while longer.

We finally find the energy to get off the couch and clean up after the party. We just have leftover macaroni and cheese for dinner with a salad. The kids go to bed early and we follow shortly after, both falling into bed exhausted and are soon asleep, me spooning him from behind, my hand tucked in his.

 


	15. Chapter 15

A few days later:

I am wrapping up the day and grab my phone to text Richard to see if he is ready to go home. I don't get a reply and find that a bit weird, he should be done. I walk towards his dressing room, hoping he will be there and knock "Rich, are you in there?".

The door swings open and I can tell right away something is eating at him and he is moody as hell. He has his phone in hand and I lean up to kiss him, but he turns his head, so I hit his cheek and growls "hey" and going back to the couch.

"Hey yourself, Rich.....what the hell is the matter with you today? And why didn't you answer your text? We have karate today and with Elliott's party in a couple of days, we are in a bit of a hurry...". He mumbles something, but I can't make out a word he is saying "come again?".

He says testily "I don't know...I didn't feel like...I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the fact I am splattered all over Twitter today" and he holds up his phone, displaying a picture from Emma's party with him, in the tiara, holding her and being surrounded by all her guests. I had seen it earlier today, one of the mom's tweeted it to him with some kind words "thanks for making a little girl's birthday party so memorable for all in attendance". I had smiled, he looked so happy, very different from his current state.

"Why does that have your undies all twisted up your arse?" and I see him eyes almost flaming when I say that. "It is a cute picture, she didn't spill any secrets to where you were at or anything, so what is the big deal?".

He stands up, his nostrils flaring and he yells out "SHE DIDN'T ASK!".

I yell back at him "SINCE WHEN DO PEOPLE NEED TO ASK PERMISSION TO POST EVERY GODDAMN PICTURE EVER TAKEN OF YOU? YOU ARE A AN ACTOR, RICH, IT IS PART OF YOUR FREAKING JOB!".

He is stunned when I yell back and it snaps him out of it, but I keep going "you know.......if it is because you are embarrassed to be seen with a bunch of little girls, dressed for a princess party, then we might have bigger problems......" and I look at him with extreme sadness, feeling tears welling in my eyes and I turn to leave "I gotta go......find a ride home.....I need to go to karate" and I turn to leave, tears streaming down my face.

I slam the door behind me.

Richard sits stunned for a second on the couch before sighing deeply, putting his head in his hands and muttering "fucking shit, Rich......what the hell did you just do? You moody arsehole, get a hold of yourself". His head in spinning and he is paralyzed for a second, not knowing what to do. He is beating himself up internally and he feels a real ache in his heart, knowing he just hurt someone he loves so much. 

I walk quickly back to the office, wiping my tears and put on a happy face when I enter, greeting the kids "alright, let's go....we don't want to be late".

Elliott looks at me and he knows instantly something is wrong "where is Rich? What's the matter, Mum?".

"Nothing, sweetie and Rich is not coming, he is busy.....hurry, guys...." and I usher them out the door. Elliott takes my hand, which he rarely does anymore "I'm sorry, Mum....what did Rich do?".

Emma is listening and pipes up "was he mean to you, Mummy?" and she looks at me as we walk to the car "you have been crying, haven't you?".

I bite my lip, feeling the tears, fighting them "I'm fine......sometimes grown ups have disagreements" and we almost make it to the car "it's okay......Mum is fine....".

We get in the car and drive to karate class, Elliott giving me a hug before he goes to change "It'll be okay, Mum...I love you". "I love you too, Elliott...have a fun class".

I sit down with the other parents to watch and Emma climbs into my lap, looking at me "why was Rich not nice, Mum?". I give her a hug "I don't know, honey....I think he was just having a bad day, grown ups can have bad days and be tired and grumpy, just like you".

She touches my face "but he should still be nice to you, Mum....".

"I know, honey" and I reach for my phone in my pocket since it is vibrating like crazy. There is a text from him:

_"OMG Lauren.......I don't even know where to begin.....I know you can't talk right now, but sorry doesn't begin to cover it.......I don't know what came over me.....I don't know how to fix it, the kids? Don't want it to be awkward....please can we talk? Soon...tonight? I know I was an total dick!!! Text or call me...R"._

I sigh, texting him back " _I don't know what the hell was the matter with you either, but not cool.....we can talk, we'll be home in an hour, I'm feeding the kids McDonald's on the way home-yep I'm mother of the year today. You can come then or come after the kids go to bed, if you are a chicken and don't want to explain yourself to them.....I tried to hide it, but they know me better than most......"._

_"I'll see you at home....I'll have to try and explain to them why I was such an idiot to their mother and then maybe we can talk for real after they go to bed? Thanks for not kicking my arse to the curb, I sure deserve it"._

_"I'll talk to you when we get home, Rich.....I love you even though you were an arse today"._

_"I don't deserve that right now, but I love you too, Lauren....."._

Sending a emoji heart back to him, I feel the sadness ease a little and Emma senses it too "you feeling better?".

"A little, sweetie.....Rich texted and apologized.....he will come talk later".

"Good, because when you are mean you need to say you are sorry and then not do it again, right?".

I smile "that's right......or at least you try not to do it again, but sometimes you do anyway because you get mad again or forget".

Elliott gets done with karate and we get back in the car. He looks at me in the rear view mirror "feeling better, Mum? You don't look so sad anymore".

"I'm better.....thanks for worrying, but Rich texted and apologized, he will come over later to talk".

"Good! He should be sorry if he was rude to you...he should be nicer".

"Well, lets just see what he has to say, okay...he deserves for us to at least listen to him, explain why he was grumpy, don't you think? I know you like for me to listen to you when you do something wrong".

"I guess, but it makes me mad he was like that".

"I know it does, Elliott, but please be nice when he comes, okay? We all make mistakes in life.....".

"Alright, fine...." and he huffs a little.

We stop at McDonald's on the way home and the kids get dinner. I don't have anything except stealing a few fries. Getting home, we hurry and finish homework and then they can play for a little bit. Emma is watching TV and Elliott is playing a game on the iPad. 

I go upstairs to get out of my work clothes, throwing on an old t-shirt and sweat pants. I look around my in closet, my eyes falling on all Richard's clothes that has made it's way in there over the last while, he practically lives here with us and I am wondering if that is about to change.

"Lauren?" and I am jolted out of my thoughts, looking up and he is standing in the doorway, looking utterly defeated and with an expression of pure misery on his face. He takes an uncertain step into the closet "can I come in?".

Nodding, I walk closer, saying quietly "I didn't even hear you come in....." and he pulls me into his arms as I burst into tears "damn it, Rich....why did you do that?".

He holds me like he is drowning, squeezing me to his chest and he keeps whispering over and over, into the crook of my neck "I'm sorry......I'm sorry....". We stand like that for what seems like forever, I'm hugging him tight and hold onto him, afraid if I let go, he will slip out of my life for good.

We finally break apart and our eyes meet, he wipes a tear from my cheek and I see how his eyes are slightly glassy and it looks like he cried for a while after I walked out this afternoon. I reach for his hand and walk over the the couch in my room, sitting down and pulling him with me. I look at him "why, Rich? What is going on?".

Running his free hand through his hair and over his face, he looks deflated and gestures "I don't know.....I think I just was moody, I saw the picture and for whatever reason it set me off, it just rubbed me the wrong way and I felt backed into a corner.......didn't know if I was ready to deal with this..." he hesitates for a minute "parenthood....and all that....." and he takes another breath "after you yelled back and left, I realized I was just being a dick about it......you are right, she didn't need my permission, she was nice and she didn't reveal anything....." and he reaches for me "sorry doesn't begin to cover it......but I really truly am sorry for yelling and for just being a total arsehole".

I scoot into his arms and he holds me for a while, just two people trying to reconnect and understand each other. I finally look at him and touch his face "I'm not going to say it is okay, because it wasn't, but thank you for explaining and for being willing to talk. I don't know what to say other than please don't do it again.......it is not fair, you need to come to terms with this and deal with the fame part......I get it is hard, I had concerns and still do about dating a famous TV/movie star, but it is worth it to me, if I get to be with you...".

He kisses me softly, gently cupping my face, whispering "thank you for listening and for not kicking my arse out....I deserve it".

"We are stronger than that, Rich or at least I want to believe we are.....I love you and that didn't change just because your head was up your butt for a while".

"I love you too, Lauren....." and we kiss again and I rest my head in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent and enjoying having him run his hand up and down my back, slowly caressing it. 

"How did you even get here? And did the kids let you in?".

"I drove......I sat and cried in my dressing room for a while after you slammed the door, then took a cab home and got my car......I used my key and I don't know if the kids will ever talk to me again. Emma asked me why I was mean as soon as I walked in and Elliott refused to say a word, he just glared at me".

I motions to get up, sighing "I told him to be nice to you, to give you the benefit of a doubt, I guess he didn't listen".

Richard holds me back "it's alright, let it be.....I need to talk to them too, they need to hear I am sorry...I did briefly talk to Emma, but it is not enough.....I was a dick to their mother, so they have a right to be angry".

"Perhaps, but they still need to be nice.....and they need to go to bed" and I get up, giving him a hand. 

He pulls me into his arms, hugging me, mumbling "god I love you".

"I love you too, Rich".

We walk down stairs together and the kids are still in the family room. They both look up and turn their attention to us when we come in and sit down on the couch, holding hands. Richard looks at them and I can tell he is nervous. I squeeze his hand and look at them "Rich and I talked and he apologized for not being nice earlier and for hurting my feelings, so please be nice to him and forgive him".

Emma looks at him "why were you mean to my Mum?".

He clears his throat "I honestly don't know, pumpkin...it really had nothing to do with your Mum. You know when you are grouchy and someone comes to talk to you and you are just rude to that person because that is the first person you speak to? That is what I did today and that is not a very nice thing to do. I love your Mum very much and hurt her today".

Elliott glares at him "don't do it again".

I exclaim "Elliott, please be nice.......Rich said he was sorry".

Richard cuts in "no, it's okay and I promise I wont do that again, I learned my lesson and I need to think before I speak".

We sit and talk to them a bit more about how adults fight and are able to talk about problems and work them out and how it doesn't mean we don't love each other, even when we disagree once in a while. They finally come around a little bit and we put them to bed and Emma gives Richard a hug before going to sleep, which I can tell, lifts a weight off his shoulder as she wraps her little arms around him.

Walking back down stairs, I go in the kitchen to find something to eat, I am starving by now. Richard follows me "what are you doing?".

"I never had dinner, I just fed the kids.....I wasn't hungry, but now I am starving. Want some tea?".

"Lauren, love......you need to take care of yourself".

I look at him "did you eat dinner?".

He looks down "well no, I was too upset.....but" and he goes to the fridge "I did stop on the way over to buy some food" and he gets a bag out from *Harrods* and he walks in the entry way, bringing back a beautiful bouquet of flowers arranged in a vase "and I know it is so cliche and bad taste, but I had to buy you flowers........glad you can find whatever you need at Harrods these days" and he hands them to me.

Cracking a smile over how cheesy he is, I kiss him and take the flowers "they are lovely, thank you" and I put them on the counter and then peak in the bag "and this looks yummy, should we eat?".

He goes to make tea "yeah, I can probably eat a little".

"Something wrong, Rich?".

He pauses "I don't know.....just feel a little off.....it is probably just because I was such an idiot".

"Let's not talk about that anymore tonight, okay? Lets just enjoy some food and then go to bed".

Nodding, he gets the tea and we sit down to enjoy a late meal of various breads with some tasty cured meat and cheeses. We talk quietly and things return to feeling normal and at ease between us. We get ready for bed after and he pulls me into his arms, spooning me from behind and we are soon asleep, exhausted after an emotional day.

 

The next day:

I slept like a rock and I finally wake up when my phone alarm goes off. I groan and shut if off blindly, finally forcing myself to sit up and stretch. I turn as Richard grunts and covers his head with the duvet. I smile and lean over to touch his back "you can have a few more minutes, love" and I trot in the bathroom.

Pulling on my robe, I walk back out and go downstairs to make some tea and then back up to wake up the kids. I peak in my room again and then walk over to Richard's side of the bed, gently touching his arm "Rich, are you going with us or coming in later?".

He protests with a low growl "I'll come with you, but I don't feel so good".

"What's the matter?" and I kneel by him, peeling the blanket away a little. 

Squeezing his eyes closed, he mutters "I feel achy, but I need to get up" and he swings his legs out and attempts to sit up, but when he does, he groans and grips my arm "shit...I don't know if this is a good idea, I'm really dizzy".

I sit down next to him "you alright? Just sit there for a minute........" and we do, him still holding my arm and when he slowly opens his eyes, he goes pale and then lays back down with a whine "no, I can't get out of bed....the entire room is spinning......fuck". He reaches for his phone, but I just grab his arm "don't worry, I'll go talk to them when I get in".

He peaks from under the covers "you're still going to work?" and he sounds very pathetic.

Hiding a smile, I lean down to kiss his forehead "I need to run the kids to school at least and stop by work, both to let them know you are dying and maybe bring something back for me to work on at home. The kids are going with Luke's parents today, so I don't have to worry about them later".

He croaks "are you mocking me? I have distinct feeling you are making fun of my illness".

I kiss him, trying not to laugh "no, never......I'll be back in a little bit".

"Okay, but please hurry.......I might die".

"I'm sure you will live, Rich" and I leave, not breaking into a giggle until I am out in the hallway, but apparently not far enough away, because he grumbles from the bed "hey, I heard that.......".

Emma comes upstairs "what's wrong with Rich, why is he not up yet?".

"He doesn't feel good, honey....he is staying in bed today".

"Can I see?" and she goes back in the room "sorry you are sick, Rich...get feeling better" and she leans close "get Mum to read you a story and bring you food.....that always makes me feel better".

He reaches out to hug her "thank you, pumpkin.....I'll see you tomorrow, have fun at Grandma and Grandpa Roberts today".

"Okay" and she follows me downstairs so I can run them to school. I stop by BBC to grab a couple of patterns to cut out and work on at home and I stick my head in to the set, letting them know that there is no way Richard will make an appearance today.

Daniela looks at me "you sound amused...I gather Rich doesn't make a good patient?".

I chuckle "it is just like most men......he thinks he is dying......".

Brendan butts in "hey now, maybe we really are suffering".

"Or maybe you are just a bunch of chickens" and I leave with a wave.

I get back home and put my project in my office. I take some soup out of the freezer along with some rolls, maybe he will eat something in a bit. I take a water bottle out and make my way upstairs, peaking in my room. Richard is out cold and snoring like crazy, which he usually doesn't do. I cover him back up a bit, making a note to probably have him put a shirt or something, but he feels hot when I touch his shoulder. He mumbles, but keeps snoring.

Making my way down stairs, I get the patterns cut out and sewn together in a couple of hours and then go back to the kitchen to heat the soup and toast the rolls. I trot back upstairs and Richard is still out cold, but he has kicked the duvet off and is on his back, only wearing his boxer briefs. I stop in my tracks, he is gorgeous even though he is sick. I sit down on the edge of the bed, leaning in to kiss him, feeling his forehead "Rich, sweetie....are you hungry?".

He groans and open his eyes "ughhh......no, don't feel like eating....I'm so hot".

"Well, I think you have a fever, you should at least drink something" and I hand him the bottled water. He struggles to sit up, leaning against the head board, looking really ill and sad. He takes it and drinks a little bit and then becoming aware he is just sitting in his underwear and a blush creeps up on his cheeks. I notice and find it adorable "why are you blushing? It is not like I haven't seen you naked before....".

"I don't know...probably because usually, when I am down to my underwear we are about to have some sexy time and that is obviously not on my mind today....I really think I'm going to die".

I burst out laughing "of course you are, Rich......geesh, my bad".

He practically whines "and now you are making fun of me.....I really feel horrid".

I roll my eyes "I'm sure you do and I'm sorry, but why do all men turn so pathetic as soon as they have a cold or a slight fever? Luke was in special forces for heavens sake, but he got a cold or the flu, my hell, he thought he was dying too" and I add "there certainly is a reason why women have to carry and birth the kids, our race would be extinct if men had to do it......".

"Hey now.....don't know if that would be the case".

I look him in the eye "imagine you having to squeeze a watermelon out your butt..." and I see his brain working and not liking that idea very much "exactly......it is not a pleasant thing, I rest my case.....you men just get the rush of pleasure and then your job is done".

"Well, last time I checked, I think you enjoyed it too, I seem to recall you screaming my name as I fucked you on the counter in my dressing room bathroom".

Moaning with the memory of the other day's lunch break escapade, I kiss him "it was very, very nice". He hums, holding me tight for a minute and I feel the heat from his body just burning him up. "I'm going to get you some painkillers to try and knock that fever down and then you need to rest some more. How about a fruit smoothie, will you drink that?".

"Yeah, probably..." and he looks at me with sickly eyes "thanks, love".

"Anytime, Rich" and I go down and make him one, throwing in lots of ice, some yogurt and frozen strawberries and blueberries. Bringing it back up, I hand him the pills and the drink, which he downs in a few minutes, enjoying the cool of the liquid. He even shivers a bit and then lays back down and I cover him up, handing him a gel pack from the freezer, putting it on his forehead.

He sighs in pure bliss "mmmmm.....that feels so nice" and he holds my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckles "I don't deserve you".

"Get some more rest, Rich...I'll check on you in a bit" and I leave him be. I eat the soup and bread for lunch.

I am actually able to get a lot done this afternoon and I start cutting out some fabric for a dress I am working on, to wear to the final Hobbit premiere in a few months. I carefully cut around the shimmering blue fabric and carefully pin it together. I love creating things, it feeds my soul.

Glancing at the clock, I realize it is almost supper time, so I go back upstairs to check on Richard and he opens his eyes when I walk in, looking slightly better and actually sits up. I smile at him "how are you feeling now?".

"Better....I think the fever is gone and the room is not spinning anymore, that's a plus".

"Good" and I sit down on the edge next to him and he pulls me close "thanks for taking care of me, sorry I was so whiny earlier and sorry for making you stay home".

I snuggle close, leaning my head on his chest, hearing his steady heart beat "it was fine, Rich.....I actually got a lot done" and I look at him, moving a stray strand of hair out of his face "are you hungry?".

He nuzzles my neck "yeah, a little, but I feel icky, I should go shower".

"Okay, you go do that and I'll go find something to make for supper" and I get up, giving him a hand. 

Grabbing onto my hand, he gets out of bed, sporting a nice hard on and he sees I notice, pulling me back in his arms, croaking in my ear "or you could come shower with me?".

"Rich...a few hours ago you were convinced you were dying, remember? And now you want me to shower with you?".

Giving me a sheepish grin, he kisses my neck and licks right under my ear "well......pretty please? I'll scrub your back".

He knows I can't resist when he is begging like that and bats his eyes at me. I take his hand and drag him in the bathroom, turning on the shower and quickly shedding my clothes. We step under the water and both enjoy a refreshing shower. He does scrub my back as promised, but soon seems distracted and his hands roam to the front. I swat at them "hey...concentrate.....my back please.....that is not my back, Rich" and it turns into a moan when he presses his entire body against my back and reaching up to cup both my breasts with his hands and he playfully bites my neck.

I wiggle my behind against him and his hard erection presses into my back. He whispers huskily in my ear "fuck Lauren.....I want you, sweetheart.....". I turn around in the shower and embrace him, our mouths dueling for dominance and our hands roaming over each other. We shut off the water and step out, I hand him a towel and he dries off quickly and then trying to help me get dry too. I step away from him "Rich....give me a second, don't want to get the bed all wet, we need to sleep in it tonight......geesh, you are acting like a horny teenager".

"Maybe because I feel like one......" and grabs me around my waist, carrying me in the bedroom, tossing me on the bed as I giggle and squirm. He hands me a towel "for your hair" and then crawl in bed with me, gently pushing me down, kissing me deeply and then starting to trail kisses down my body. He licks and sucks on each of my breasts, lovingly palming over my stomach and looking up at me "god you are beautiful" and I let out a squeal when he licks my belly button and it soon turns into a moan when his mouth descends upon my very core. He spreads my legs wider and I sigh deeply as he licks me from opening to my clit, skillfully wrapping his tongue around my sensitive nub, sending jolts of pleasure through my entire body.

I grab his hair and arch up to meet him "ohhhh Rich, more please....ohhh, right there.......ohhhh" and he alternates licking slow and fast, feeling me throb under his tongue. He flattens it and rasps over my clit several times and I close my thighs around his head, holding him in place until the damn breaks and I come hard against his mouth, flooding him with my wetness "ohhhhh fuck...Rich!!!!". He slows down a bit, but drags the pleasure out for me as long as possible before surfacing, wearing a shit eating grin "good?".

Kissing him deeply, I mumble into his mouth "no, it was horrible, don't ever do that again" and he laughs as he settles between my legs. I adjust my hips and he finds my entrance and enters me in one stroke, almost taking my breath away as our hips meet. We lock eyes and he starts to move in and out in a steady rhythm, going faster and faster. He buries his face in my neck, swearing into my ear "fuck...shit...ughh....you feel so tight.....god Lauren.....fuck....ohhh god" and he comes with a final grunt, his hot release flooding me.

I hold him tight, our chests heaving against each other and he finally lifts his head and kisses me softly "sorry, that didn't last very long...".

"It was fine...you already took care of me....it is not always a marathon, you know".

"I know, but still....." and he rolls off me and remembers too late "shit....someone will have to sleep on the wet spot, sorry......".

I snuggle close "it's ok....we should probably change the sheets anyway, you were sweating like crazy earlier today".

"Hmmm.......probably" and we lay in bed a while longer, enjoying just being close. We finally slowly get up and get dressed, helping each other to make the bed and then go down for some dinner. We make some BLT's for supper and spent a quiet evening at home, reconnecting and strengthening the bond we share.

 

The next evening:

I close the door after the last birthday guest and Elliott comes up and just hugs me, grinning from ear to ear "thanks, Mum was an awesome party".

"Your welcome...I'm glad you had a good time. I think it was a lot of fun too".

"It was and Rich was super cool too".

"He is" and we both walk in the kitchen where Richard is rinsing dishes and sticking them in the dish washer. Elliott runs up and hugs him "thanks for being so awesome, Rich....and I'm glad you feel better".

He turns half way around to hug Elliott back "your welcome and I'm glad I feel better too, your Mum is a good nurse" and he winks at me.

"I have the best Mum" and he runs upstairs to look at some of the things he got from his friends. 

Richard is wiping his hands and then comes over to hug me "he does have the best Mum and I have the best girlfriend ever" and he kisses my neck and nibbles on my ear lobe "the sexiest and the hottest".

I giggle "Rich, stop....it tickles" and I turn around in his arms and kiss him, mumbling in his mouth 'we already did it in the closet this morning and we had a round in the bed last night".

"It is never enough with you, love...you drive me crazy" and we embrace again and he drags me to the couch for some tea. 

I reach for my phone as he goes to get the tea water and I see my notification from Twitter and open it, sitting stunned for a minute when Richard's tweet pops up, it is a picture of him with Elliott and all his birthday friends today, Elliott is holding Orcrist and the key and the map, with the text "got to spent some quality time with an awesome kid today at his Hobbit party, I'm am truly blessed".

Richard comes back and I hold up my phone, he smiles "is it okay?".

"It's great....I'm just surprised you did that considering what happened last time......".

He looks embarrassed "well, I figured this way I took control of it and besides, I know it was completely idiotic of me to act like that last time......I'm sorry".

I climb into his lap, cupping his face "shhh...not another word about that, it happened and we moved on, remember?".

He gestures " I know, but I still feel...". I cut him off with a wet kiss and when we finally break, he pulls me close, sighing in contentment "I love you".

"I love you more, Rich".


	16. Chapter 16

3 weeks later:

Today is the last day of shooting *North and South* and I think we are all feeling a bit sad. We wrapped for costumes a couple of weeks ago and that felt really odd, the people working in costumes will probably always have a soft spot for period pieces and all the fine details that come with that kind of work. We had said a fond farewell to everyone, but I of course stayed in touch, since Richard is still shooting, well until today that is. I feel happy in some ways it is over, he needs to recharge before all the press junket for the last Hobbit movie starts, but it is also sad since I wont be able to share lunch with him at work every day.

People gather on the set, it is a moving scene with Margaret and John, where he meets his son for the first time after she has given birth. We borrowed a baby from my good friend, Patricia, who gave birth to little Wyatt a month ago and he was small, so he will pass as a newborn. He is the cutest little thing and we are all in love with him and almost fighting over who gets to hold him.

I am currently the lucky one and I must admit I feel a tiny tinge of baby hunger when I look at him. Richard had come with me to meet Wyatt right after they got home from the hospital, but since it was his first time meeting Patrica and her lovely husband, Ben, he had politely declined when offered to hold the baby. I am cooing at him and he looks at me with his beautiful, brown eyes. Richard comes in after finishing makeup and hair, smiling when he sees me with Wyatt and goes over to give me a kiss "how is he?".

"Cute and adorable" and we both look at him. He is just staring at Richard and then squirms and makes noises. I see Richard just melting and I hold out Wyatt "here, you should hold him".

He looks very unsure "I don't know....he looks so fragile".

Patricia comes over "nonsense, Richard.....just hold him, he should get use to you before you have to hold him on screen".

I carefully hand him Wyatt, who is just totally mesmerized by Richard and he holds him, a strong arm under him, Richard's big hand supporting his little head. Richard makes faces at him and all of a sudden Patricia exclaims "oh my god.....he just smiled at you".

Richard looks up, beaming "he did, didn't he?".

I nod and we all just chuckle and Wyatt does it again, he really likes Richard. 

We all step away, so they can start shooting, but as soon as Wyatt gets handed over to Daniela to hold, he starts to fuss and cry. She tries to rock and soothe him, but he just wails louder. Richard steps in and he stops right away, just staring at him. They try to shoot the scene several times, but as soon as Richard is out of view for Wyatt, he starts crying. It is comical and they finally end up shooting the scene in a different way, where the baby is just crying until John comes to meet his son and are able to hold him and comfort him. It works like a charm and they get it in one take. 

The director yells "cut and that's a wrap! Congratulations and thank you!" and everyone breaks into applauds.

Richard is still holding Wyatt and looks happy shooting is over. We go back over and I kiss him "congrats, it was great".

He kisses me back and look at the happy baby in his arms "thanks, Lauren".

Patrica smiles at him "want to come live with us for 6 months? We sure could use you at 4 am in the morning when he is crying".

Richard looks at her "he is adorable....." and then Wyatt makes a funny face and there is no doubt about what he is doing when a couple of loud farts escape and he looks relieved. The smell soon gets to us all and I am trying not to laugh at Richard, who doesn't know how to politely get rid of the stinky child.

Patrica saves him when she gently takes Wyatt "wow......I better go take care of that, thank you, Rich and sorry about that" and she lifts her child up, inspecting his bottom "at least it all stayed contained" and she quickly takes off with him to get a a new diaper.

I smile at Richard and he gives me a look "don't you dare laugh.....that was a horrendous smell".

Touching his chin, I kiss him again "that's what babies do....like a lot the first few months and Patricia is right, at least it all stayed in the diaper.....sometimes you will have a complete blow out and imagine having to deal with that at 3 am in the morning".

He shudders, whispering "maybe it is good your tubes are clamped, not sure I want to deal with that....I'm too old" and he smirks "but I'm glad we still get to practice making babies".

I slap his butt and roll my eyes "Rich!" and he laughs, pulling me into his arms.

Brendan and Daniela comes over and she hugs us both "you are so in love, it is not even funny". 

Richard hugs her and then Brendan "thanks for encouraging me to ask Lauren out....I won the lottery".

"I think you did too, Rich....just invite me to the wedding".

Daniela chimes in "yeah, please add me to the list too".

He is still holding my hand and looks at me before giving them a shy smile "well, we'll see....." and we get interrupted when both Elliott and Emma come running over, hugging us both and Richard lifts Emma up on his arm.

Everyone kind of gather around as the director and the producers thanks the entire team and the actors are given little mementos from the show. Brendan gets the pocket watch that Thornton gives him at some point during filming and Daniela gets one of the very pretty, embroidered little purses that was made for Margaret. They each are given to opportunity to say a few words. 

Richard is next and is gifted Thornton's very distinct top hat and he stands in the middle of the room, still dressed like John Thornton and looks out at the crew and his fellow actors. I am standing over to the side with Elliott and Emma is still perched on his arm, looking mighty happy being the center of attention and her little arms are wrapped around his neck. He holds the hat while still supporting Emma's weight and I gesture if I should come take her, but he shakes his head. He coughs and clears his throat, I know he is not enjoying this like Emma is "uhmm...I just want to thank you all....thanks to the entire crew for working so hard every day, for making my job easy by always being ready, to our brilliant director...thank you" and he looks at his colleagues "thank you for bringing your best every single day, it was been a joy to work with such fine actors and you have pushed me to be better". He takes a deep breath, looks down and then back up "you know, when I finished the Hobbit and this came across from my agent, my gut reaction was a loud no, I didn't want to get back to Thornton, but then I read the script ....and was drawn back in. I guess life is funny sometimes and things happen for a reason....." and he looks at Elliott and I and then at Emma, who has laid her head on his shoulder, just content to be there "taking this job has changed my life forever and for that I'm deeply grateful, thank you". 

Everyone applaud loudly and I run up to embrace him, our eyes meeting and his are a little misty with emotion. We hug and Elliott squeezes in between us and Richard puts an arm around his shoulder and looks at us all, saying quietly "I love you so, so much!". We enjoy our little quiet moment until we break and get ready to celebrate the wrap with everyone else. They have taken over the cafeteria and we spent a great evening among our friends and colleagues.

 

A few weeks later:

I am hurrying home from work, it is Friday and it is a busy night for us today. We are attending the annual charity event for colon cancer research and support, an evening that benefits different organizations that work to further the research, education and treatment for this disease as well as places that helps families affected by it. I have been a strong supporter of this every year since Luke died and usually attend with his parents and the kids. Richard really wanted to go with us this year and we talked about it since the press will be there and if he felt he was ready for that and he said he was.

I don't know if it is fate or what, but this year it falls on Luke's birthday, he would have turned 45. I spent the morning trying to concentrate on work, but I kept thinking about him, what could have been and what he would think about our lives now. We have come a long way and I am sure he would be proud we have survived and even thrived without him. I still miss him, but Richard sure has helped erase much of that aching longing and pain. Richard has pretty much moved in with us, only stopping by his house to check on it and grab something he needs. Luke's side of the closet is no longer empty, it is filled with Richard's clothes and it just has felt very normal. We didn't really talk about it a great deal, it just happened and it has been great.

Richard had found me in the closet the other day, looking in the built in jewelry box in the center island "you alright, love? What are you doing?".

I look at him, holding out my hand "putting this away for good........going to stick it in the safe deposit box in the bank, so Emma can have it someday".

He tenderly takes my hand to inspect the object in it and picks up the ring with his fingers "is this what I think it is?".

"Yeah, my engagement ring I hardly ever wore".

"Holy diamond" and the stone catches the light as he moves it around "that is a very nice ring, he really loved you, Lauren.....I know nothing about diamonds, but I'm sure it is a pretty valuable stone".

"He did, but it just was not practical after having kids and I think the ring spoke to Luke's extravagant taste and he liked the world to know he loved me and could afford it".

"Was he a snob?" and he quickly adds, afraid he offended me "I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just really wondering.....we don't talk a lot about him".

I touch his face and lean up to kiss him "you are fine, Rich and I'm not offended.......no, I don't think he was a snob, but he was raised to like nice things, you know.....you have been to his parents house and since his dad obviously did well as a stock broker.....well, then, they always had nice things".

"Well, his parents are the nicest people, you would never know they had money".

"I know and I guess maybe Luke just liked to show off a little more.....I think he was very confident, having been in special forces in the the British military, you have to have a ego of sorts".

"I trained with some of those folks for *Strike Back* and yes, they are a special breed" and he hands me back the ring "so why are you putting it away?".

Taking a deep breath, I look at him "don't freak out or anything, but you practically live here with us and it just feels like it is time" and I fiddle with the ring "it might be silly, but it just feels like I need to do this...kind of like I am finally allowing myself to let go and move on" and I trail of "not sure if that makes sense to anyone but me......".

Richard pulls me in his arms and holds my head with his hands, locking eyes with me "it makes perfect sense to me, love.....and I don't know what to say, other than I love you more than you will ever know and I hope to give you a ring one day when the timing is right".

"I love you too, Rich" and we meet in a soft kiss. 

I had placed the ring in the box it came in and taken it to the bank the next day and it had felt liberating in some odd way.

Smiling as I remember the feeling, I reach my home and Richard's car is parked in the back and the kids are getting out just as I pull in. He got them from school early today, so we can go to the cemetery before the event. It had been a big day when I went to the school office to put Richard's information in the system, so he could be contacted if they couldn't get hold of me and he could check them out. He had felt eager to do that, but he wanted to make sure we talked to Luke's parents to make sure they were okay with it too. They have been wonderful and so supportive of Richard and the role he is playing in their grandchildren's lives.

Richard gets out, wearing jeans and his one of his Belstaff jackets, Ray Ban aviators are covering his eyes to shield them from the sun on this crisp fall day. The kids wave hi and run in the house. He gives me a smile and come over to open my door and give me a hand out. He pulls me into his arms and kisses me, removing his sunglasses, sticking them in the V of his black shirt "hi love". I relish in the heat from his body for a minute and he speaks into my hair "you doing ok?".

I sigh "I'm fine.....it's just hard.....".

"I know, sweetheart....I'm sorry" and he holds me tight "I'm here for you".

We lock eyes "and I appreciate that more than you will ever know, Rich.........but are you sure you want to go to the cemetery with us? I don't want you to feel it is something you have to do".

"I don't feel like that at all and I would like to go, it's the least I can do....to pay my respects to Elliott and Emma's dad".

"Okay, I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable about it".

"I don't, love, not at all" and we kiss again before walking hand in hand into the house.

We are rushing around to get ready. Everyone has been showered and I braided Emma's hair, putting a large fake sunflower at the bottom of her braid, holding it. She is wearing the ear rings Richard gave her for her birthday and a green dress I made. She is happily watching TV and Elliott is playing video games, looking very handsome in his dark blue suit-he picked the fabric and Ellen made it for him. He is wearing a green tie to match his sister and it was Luke's favorite color.

I just got done blow drying my hair and it curling it slightly and then apply a little make up. I'm still naked in the bathroom and Richard comes in, clad in his underwear and a white shirt, still unbuttoned. 

He comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my torso and kisses my naked shoulder "you better put some clothes on, love.....it is very distracting when you are naked".

I turn my head slightly to kiss him "oh yea?".

"Hmmm....yes....and I know we don't have time....." and he brush his large hand over the swell of my breast.

"You are right, we don't" and I pull away from him gently, giving him a smile as he goes to comb his hair and I trot in the closet to get dressed. His tux is hanging over the chair in the corner, he is wearing a classic black one and a black bowtie. He has a green handkerchief peeking out of his pocket, the fabric matches my dress, made of the same green material. I open the box sitting on the island and take out the underwear I bought to wear with it. It is made of green silk and lace. I pull on the panties, they hardly cover anything and put on the matching bra, liking how it lifts things up. I adjust in the full mirror and see Richard come in to finish getting dressed.

I turn around and he stops in his tracks, almost drooling and mutters "fucking hell, Lauren....how am I suppose to sit through this very formal thing, knowing you are wearing this under your dress" and he comes over, his eyes roaming appreciative over my body, coming to rest on my cleavage. His hands move up my thighs and lands on my rear, gently cupping each cheek and he looks at me with lustful eyes "I'm not even sure these qualifies as panties".

Putting my hands under his still open shirt, so they can roam up his back, I give him a wet kiss "well, you are a very skillful actor, so I'm sure you can manage" and I stand on my toes to whisper in his ear "and you can think about taking them off with your teeth later" and I wiggle out of his embrace to go put my dress on.

"You are evil, woman....." and he gives me a smile as he pulls on his socks and pants and buttons up his shirt, tucking it in. 

I step in my dress and zip it up in the back. The top is made of thick, green satin with a beautiful neckline and some fold over short sleeves. The skirt is a light pink, rich satin, with a delicate green chiffon overlay that is embroidered with leaves and wild flowers, mostly in the various pink, purple and blue hues. It drapes beautifully, it took Ellen and I quite a bit of time to get it right, but we are both very pleased with the end result.

Stepping in front of the mirror, I admirer our work and Richard walks over "you look stunningly beautiful, love.....you guys did a great job on it".

"Thanks, Rich" and I put the earrings he gave me in my ears, they look nice with my hair and the dress. Richard is looking in the drawer for his watch and some cuff links to close his shirt sleeves and I quickly reach inside a drawer on the island and hand him a box "here......this is for you....just because....I hope you like them".

He looks at me for second and then takes the box "you didn't need to buy me anything" and he takes the paper off, revealing a box from the same famous jewelry house that our earrings came from and he flips it open. I watch his face very carefully, holding my breath and hoping he will be pleased. He reaches in and frees one of the cuff links, taking it out and looking at it closely, He smiles when he realizes what it is and looks at me "wow...they are perfect, thank you, love" and he comes over to give me a deep kiss. The cuff links are shaped to look like little cravats, the matte gold made to look like carefully bound fabric-I had them hand made and they turned out so well. He puts them on and looks at them in the mirror and says delighted "they are amazing and I guess that is why you had them made, we met when you tied my wedding cravat on".

I am thrilled he loves them "yes, I thought it would be fitting".

"They are perfect, Lauren" and he pulls a box from under a stack of his t-shirts, handing it to me "I guess we had the same thought....this is for you and also just because...".

Carefully peeling the paper off, the same kind of box is revealed and when I flip the lid, I gasp "ohh Rich!: and I stare at the necklace inside, a white diamond pave heart, set in white gold, just the right size, not too big and not too small, hanging from a pink gold bail set with pink sapphires, suspended from a green, silk cord. It clearly was designed to go with my earrings. I throw my arms around him "it is gorgeous....Thank You".

He kisses me softly "your welcome, love.....let me help you put it on....I smuggled my handkerchief in there, so they could match the color to your dress". He closes the clasp in the back and I look in the mirror as he kisses my neck and cheek, his slight stubble tickling my skin "it looks lovely on you".

I turn my head to kiss him again "it is beautiful, thank you" and we finish getting dressed for the evening. 

We all get in Richard's car, which he ran through the wash earlier today and stop at the florist to pick up a wreath I ordered for Luke's grave and Elliott and Emma each pick a balloon to take too. I give Richard directions to the cemetery and we get there quickly. It is a bit chilly, so I am thankful for my wrap and the kids get their coats. Richard claims he is ok as we make the short walk up to the grave, the kids with balloons in hand and I am carrying the wreath, bound with lots of greenery and a few fall flowers. We walk in silence and as we get Luke's final resting place into view, we all stop, taken back by the scene before us: 6 men, all dressed in their best uniforms are standing at attention in front of his headstone, silently saluting for a minute before turning around and breaking formation.

They see us and I recognized all of them, Luke's brothers in arms, all part of the special forces team he lead. We make our way over there and heartfelt hugs are exchanged and I go to introduce their leader, Bryan Mitchell to Richard, but Bryan speaks in surprise "Richard Armitage, so nice to see you again" and they shake hands and hug each other. Bryan turns to me "I trained with Richard when he did *Strike Back*, we did some military training together".

The other guys shake hands with Richard too and hugs me and the kids. Richard has gone silent and then looks at Bryan, his voice thick with emotion "that leader you spoke about, when you explained to me what it took to be in special forces, the one that taught you so much......that was Luke.....".

Bryan nods "yes, that was him.....best guy I ever knew....." and he looks at Richard and then at me "I know my opinion doesn't matter, but I think Luke would be pleased.....I'll never forget how committed you were to the training and to get it right, Richard, it really impressed me....you were not just some actor that wanted to BS it, you trained as hard as we did".

"Yeah, and threw up a hundred times because you guys are tough....".

"Maybe, but you stuck with it and worked hard......so if you are as committed in the rest of your life....Lauren and the kids are in good hands".

I take Richard's hand "he is, Bryan...." and we say a grateful goodbye to them as they leave us to have our moment there. Richard is still holding my hand and we walk all the way up and place the wreath on the headstone. The kids tie the balloons to the hooks holding the lanterns on either side. Elliott lights the tealights we brought and carefully places them in there. We stand in silence for a moment, Richard placing a protective arm around me and the kids huddling against us.

A car door closing brings us out of the moment and Richard pulls me into his arms and just hugs me, no words need to be said, I know he is just there for me and feel his love.

We turn after I touch the headstone and look as Luke's parents come up. We embrace and exchange hugs of love and support for one another. We stand there with them for a few minutes as we remember their son.

We walk together back to the cars and Emma and Elliott get in their car, they will walk in with them, staying in the background on the red carpet.

Richard helps me back in his car, making sure my dress doesn't get caught in the door before he carefully closes it. He gets in behind the wheel, reaching for my hand squeezing it "doing ok, love?".

I feel surprisingly at peace and not upset, I lean over to kiss him "yeah, I'm fine....it actually doesn't feel sad or heavy and thank you for coming with us".

"I wouldn't want it any other way, Lauren" and he starts the car, driving towards the posh hotel this even is being held at. We get there and give each other one final look before Richard steps out, handing the keys to the valet guy and coming around to open my door. He reaches in and give me a hand to step out and I smooth out my dress before we step onto the red carpet and all the flashes going off. It is loud and bright and something I don't think you ever get use to. We stand next to each other, his hand interlaced with mine and slowly make our way down.

Richard looks at me and I give him a smile, he grins back and leans in, whispering in my ear "you look absolutely stunning and I get to take you home and to bed tonight" and I blush.

We make it into the giant ball room, all set with very fancy tableware and beautifully decorated. We find our table and join Emma, Elliott and Luke's parents. Emma is loving all the fancy sparkle, Elliott has already lost interest and is playing on my phone. Everyone gets seated and we enjoy a delicious dinner and there are a few short presentations and then the highlight of the night, the auction. Everyone was given a paddle with a number on it. They are auctioning off theater tickets, restaurant visits, art pieces, a couple of pricey pieces of jewelry, vacations and a lot of other great items. 

There is an evening of great food at the "Black Adder" up next and I let Elliott bid on that to his heart's content, so we end up winning that with a promise to take the kids. Emma is pouting because she didn't get to bid, but when a beautiful pearl necklace from our favorite jewelry house goes up, Richard pulls her close and whispers in her ear, her eyes light up when she realizes what he is saying. She climbs into his lap and proudly holds up the paddle again and again, until the auctioneer hits his mallet one final time, pointing at her "sold to the lovely young lady over there". Emma beams and throws her arms around Richard's neck and I see several of the other tables around us, smiling and having the "awwwww look" on their faces. Richard gives me a happy smile and leans over to kiss me "I guess you have another necklace for the jewelry box".

Dessert is served on big platters at the center of each table and Emma and Elliott indulge themselves. Richard has a blissful look as he eats his chocolate mousse with raspberries. After dessert the band gets ready to take the stage for some after dinner dancing and that is when Luke's parents take the kids home, after they hug and kiss us goodbye. We will come get them tomorrow.

The table feels a bit empty now, but Richard scoots closer and places a hand on my knee "care to dance?".

"I'd love to" and he takes my hand and we make it to the dance floor. We both took dance and ballet growing up and it shows, he knows how to move on the floor and leads gracefully. We have a great time. He twirls me around and when the song ends we walk back to the table to get a drink. He hands me my glass and we toast as I see a dark haired woman come over, grabbing his shoulder, shrieking "Rich!!! Oh my god.....haven't seen you in ages" and she hugs him with vigor and I can tell he is uncomfortable. She turns to me and puts out her hand "hi, I'm Annabel, his old flame.....".

"I'm Lauren Roberts, nice to meet you".

"Oh yeah, you were married to the Robert's oldest son......they are obviously big in this circle, given all the money they have donated" and she sticks her nose in the air and then turns back to Richard "how about a dance for old times sake?" and before he can answer, she drags him to the dance floor and I catch a glimpse of his face and he looks terrified.

I take another sip of my wine, savoring the taste and look at Richard as he is being lead around on the floor, she has a firm grip on his arm and the other hand is planted firmly on his waist, maybe a little too much around his rear. I'm not the jealous type, but I don't like the way she is looking at him, like he is prey for dinner. I'm jolted out of my thoughts when a guy comes over and asks me to dance. I have no idea who he is, but he introduces himself as Dean and one of the sons of the organizers for tonight's event.

He leads me onto the dance floor and takes a firm grip on my waist and my arm. We move over the floor and he looks at me, smiling and leaning close "I have drooled over you all night, you are stunningly beautiful, Lauren.....I'd really like to get to know you better" and he presses his lips against my cheek.

I catch Richard's stare from across the room and he looks even less happy about these developments than I am. I pull back and look at Dean "I'm very flattered, I really am, but I'm afraid I'm already spoken for.....".

Dean shrugs and wiggles his eyebrow "well, maybe I can change your mind" and he presses himself closer and slides his hand down on my behind. I jerk away from him and about to say something, but Richard's tall, pretty imposing frame swoops into view and he wedges himself between us, turning to Dean "sorry....your fun is over, please disappear....she belongs to me". Dean is about to say something else, but Richard shoots him a look full of threat and he retrieves and I see, who I assume is his father, haul him out of the ballroom. 

Richard effortless takes over and leads me on the floor and I lean close to him "calm down, Rich....you look like you are about to have a stroke, your face is red and your nostrils are practically flaring".

He says through gritted teeth "well, I feel I'm about to...I saw the way he looked at your, all leering and then his hand.....his fucking hand slid down and grabbed your behind" and he brushes his lips against my ear "only I'm allowed to grab your butt like that..." and he looks at me very possessively.

The music changes to a slow song and he wraps me in his arms and we sway to the music, only having eyes for one another, I lean in to kiss him "you have nothing to worry about, Rich....I belong to you, but I do like when you get all puffed up about it" and I lean close to his ear "it turns me on....that you don't like other men looking at me or touching me".

I see him swallow hard and he almost groans in my ear "I don't! Only I'm allowed to touch you like that....hold you against me as we make love, hearing you moan my name..." and he mutters "fuck....lets get out of here". I nod and he takes my hand as we make a quick exit, Richard letting the valet know he wants his car. He nuzzles my neck and kisses my shoulder as we wait and I can't help but squirm and giggle "Rich, stop it...". He grins and opens my door when he car arrives and hands the valet a hefty tip before he gets behind the wheel and drives off.

He is stepping on the gas and I lean over "Rich, slow down......don't want you to get pulled over and getting a ticket". He grunts, gripping the steering wheel "easy for you to say, you are not the one about to burst out of your pants". I snake an arm around his neck and pulls his bow tie off, undoing a couple of his shirt buttons, sliding a warm hand under the white cotton, feeling his chest. I lick his ear and hear him draw a ragged breath and I pinch his nipple and he moans "please stop....I don't want to wreck the car" and I see him jerk his hips.

I smirk and reach over the console with my other hand and undo his belt and pop the button on his pants, He white knuckles the wheel and croaks "Lauren....what...what are you doing?" and he sighs as I unzip him, giving his bulging erection a little more room. I slide my hand over his thigh, feeling his tense muscles under the thin fabric and he pushes against my hand as I palm his shaft in his boxer briefs "ohhh fuck... please" and I reach in his underwear and take hold of him, hearing him almost sob as I wrap my fingers around him.

We are almost home and he swings in to the driveway, throws the car in park and lunges at me, his hands in my hair and the back of my neck as he brings me in for a searing kiss. He devours me with his mouth, his tongue pushing against my lips, demanding access, which I freely grant him with a loud moan "Rich".

My hand is still very busy, stroking his rock hard length and soon my fingers become slick as pre cum leaks from his tip. I pick up the pace and he groans, thrusting his hips in rhythm with my hand and I can tell he is getting close. A loud gasp escapes from his lips and he pulls away "ughhh.....stop, sweetheart.....ohh god I want you.....house, now before I explode" and he gives me a pleading look.

I let go of him and then give him a dirty look as I lick the moisture from my fingers. He looks almost desperate as he unbuckles his seat belt, holds his pants up and comes around as I open my door and step out. It is really dark by the garage, I think we forgot to turn the sensor lights on. Richard presses me against the car, kissing me with passion and I feel how aroused he is through his pants, which he is still trying to hold up with one hand. I laugh "a little turned on?". 

"A lot...." and he takes my hand and almost drags me to the back door. I feel in my purse for my keys and he is standing behind me, kissing my neck and then licks my ear, almost begging "hurry, Lauren....please....".

I giggle and try to push him away "easy solider....we'll get there" and I put the key in the lock and open the door, walking in the mud room, him right behind me. He slams the door shut and grabs me from behind "I can't wait any longer, love...." and he finds the zipper of my dress, undoing it and helping me step out of it without ruining it. He lays it on the washer and then pushes me forcefully against the nearest wall. It is a huge turn for for me to see how demanding and possessive he is and I moan into his mouth as we devour each other. I am just in my heels and underwear, he is still more or less fully dressed in his tux. His bow tie is untied and I toss it to join my dress and I pull off his jacket, discarding it on the floor. 

He places kisses down my throat and presses against me, his pants dropping to the floor, pooling around his ankles. I palm his erection through his underwear, earning a deep growl from him and he pushes my panties off and thrusts his hips against me. My hands are busy undoing his shirt and I kiss his chest and hard nipples as soon as they are exposed and run my hands up his back. He licks my cleavage and kneads my breast through the thin lace. Sliding a hand up my naked thigh, I lift my leg, wrapping it around him and moan deeply as his fingers find my wet folds "ohhh god, Rich....more please....". 

Wasting no time, he plunges a couple of fingers inside of me and I clench around them, making him groan, knowing it will be his cock soon being hugged that tightly. He looks at me and quickly find s a rhythm and thumbs my clit, feeling me throb against him. He can tell I'm getting close and when I am almost there, he removes his fingers and spreads his legs a little, making sure his footing is good before lifting me up against the wall and I wrap my legs around his waist as he penetrates me to the hilt, making us more moan in deep pleasure. This will be quick, we both know that. 

He braces himself and I have a firm grip on his shoulders as he starts to thrust deep and hard. It feels incredible and our chests are heaving against each other. I encourage him "ohhhh Rich.....yeah, right there.....fuck me.....harder" and he changes the pace after a few more strokes, thrusting shallow and quick, brushing his pubic bone against my sensitive flesh and it doesn't take long before I climax with a sob "ohhhhhhh fuck yes". He senses it and picks up the speed, pounding hard, making me scream with pleasure and he comes too, emptying everything he has with a deep moan of pleasure against my neck "ohhh, ohhhh god" and he holds himself firmly to me as he pulses deep inside of me. 

We are clinging to each other and completely out of breath. His hot breath is on my neck and he mutters "fucking shit......wow......" and he laughs nervously "sorry....I'm usually not a horny arsehole like this....".

I grab his face with both my hands and kiss him deeply, looking into his deep blue eyes "don't you dare apologize, Rich....it was hot as fuck..." and I grin "I like when you get possessive like this".

He captures my lips again in a wet kiss and we hold each other tight. I'm sure it is quite a sight to behold, his shirt is open, his hair a ruffled mess and his pants and underwear are around his ankles and all I am wearing is my heels and lacey bra. He mumbles "I'm glad...but I'm still a bit embarrassed....".

"Don't be" and I caress his chin "it has been a long time since I was fucked against a wall like that".

He reaches his long arm over to the dryer, grabbing a towel and then carefully setting me back down and cleaning us both up. We look at each other and smile. He steps out of his shoes and tosses all his clothes in the washer except his tux, he places it on top of my dress, it will go to the dry cleaners tomorrow. I remove my bra and we walk together upstairs, him holding my hand and I'm still wearing my heels. We get ready for bed and I put my shoes back in the closet and go back in the bedroom. He is already under the covers and lifts them up, inviting me in and I slide in next to him, settling with my head on his naked chest, none of us bothering with clothes.

He kisses my head and caresses my arm "I love you, Lauren......thank you for a lovely day".

"I love you too, Rich" and I lift my head to kiss him. We settle into bed and snuggle close, our breathing evens out as we drift off to sleep in each others arms.

 


	17. Chapter 17

A few weeks later:

I'm sitting on an airplane between London and New York. Richard is seated next to me and is currently immersed in a book. I look to my right and to his left, Emma and Elliott are out cold, each sleeping in their reclining seats by the windows. Thank goodness for business class and that we are able to afford that. I smile thinking back on the last couple of months and how our lives have changed so much, mostly due to this gorgeous man sitting next to me. 

We have spend so much time together, Richard has been home since he wrapped the show, just enjoying some free time and getting himself ready for the press junket for the Hobbit. He did a few interviews already and he will leave us shortly after we get back from Thanksgiving. I wish I could just go with him, but it is not practically with the kids and school. 

The kids have loved him being even more involved, getting them from school every day, so they didn't have to come in to my work. He has been so wonderful with them and even though they haven't seen eye to eye always, their bond with him has grown stronger. It has been a learning curve and adjustment for all. Richard was nervous about overstepping his boundaries, but I told him that since he lives in the house with us, that gives him as much of a right to discipline them, which has been a challenge for him. He is such a tender hearted man and I have loved to watch him talk to them about issues instead of just being mean about it and Emma has him wrapped around her little finger, so she bats her eyes at him and she gets what she wants. Except then she wont listen to me, then he will get after her, he will not tolerate them being disrespectful to me. The first time Emma threw a fit and was sassing me, Richard had tried to talk to her and when that didn't work, he finally bellowed loudly and sent her to her room to cool off. He felt bad right after, but went and talked to her and told her why her behavior was not ok and she had apologized to him and to me. He is becoming a good step dad.

We have spent more time with his family too and Elliott and Richard's nephew became best friends from the moment they met. He has come over several times for sleep overs and I know Richard has really enjoyed seeing more of him as well. They can't wait to attend the Hobbit premiere together.

We finally had to break it to Emma she wasn't going to go and she was extremely sad about it, which just about broke both of our hearts. Richard made a point of taking her out on a couple of special dates to movies and ice creme which made her light up and kind of forget to be upset about it. She knows she doesn't like things that are too intense, so she has made peace with it and has a promise of a special riding date with Richard at the stables, once all the Hobbit press is over.

I smile thinking about it all and I feel his lips close to my ear as he takes my hand "what, love....what are you smiling about?".

Turning my head, I give him a soft kiss, his neatly trimmed beard scraping my skin and he nuzzles my neck as I try not to giggle "Rich, stop.......you know that tickles" and I look at him as I pull a little away, so our eyes can meet "just thinking about us and how wonderful it is and has been" and I give him a smile. He had grown his beard out since he wrapped *North&South* and I didn't like it at first, but now I do.

He brings our intertwined hands up to his face and kisses my knuckles, one of his habits when we sit and talk, which we often do. He returns my smile and leans in, placing a tender kiss on my lips "I know, love......" and he sighs "I never knew it could be like this".

"I guess we better enjoy this little vacation, it will be crazy for you when we get back home with the world premiere, press and travel for this last Hobbit movie".

Nodding, he rubs his thumb over my hand "yeah, but it will pass quickly and then it will be Christmas and then New Year's in the Swiss Alps.....which I'm very much looking forward to" and he wiggles an eyebrow.

I smirk "I bet you do" and he gets a dreamy look on his face, whispering in my ear "romantic fireplace, a big tub, room service and best of all.....ski school for the kids all day long".

"You said you loved to ski".

"Oh I do, but I might like making love to you better".

I roll my eyes "whatever....." and I bite my lower lip, brushing my lips against his ear "I'm going to miss you while you are gone for all the press, miss your gorgeous, hard cock and the way you moan my name as you come deep inside of me".

He makes a face and practically groans "bloody hell, Lauren...stop" and he shifts in his seat "don't do this to me here......we can't do a thing about it".

"That is exactly why it is fun..." and I put my hand on his thigh, sliding it up a bit, but stop short of his crotch. I just laugh and he shakes his head, leaning in to kiss me again "you are bad".

The rest of the flight time passes quickly and soon we are walking off the plane, Richard has Emma flung over his shoulder, she is waking up and Elliott and I are rolling our carry on bags. We do need to separate to clear immigration since we have dual citizenship, so we walk through on the US side and Richard has to go through on the other. Emma is whiny, but we go through quickly and stand by the carousel, waiting for our suitcases. 

Richard finally makes it through and joins us, lifting Emma up again as she puts her arms up. He holds her, rubbing her back "it's alright, pumpkin...I know it is a long trip". Our suitcases arrive and he sets her down so he can help me retrieve all four of them, putting them on the cart so we can clear customs. I all of a sudden notice a couple of younger women standing a little ways away from us, waiting for their suitcases, they are pointing and in a deep discussion and I catches Richard's eyes and he looks at me "what is it, Lauren?".

"I think you have been recognized port side, don't turn around.....thankfully no cameras are not allowed in this area" and he nods, grabbing the cart and starting to push it and we follow him. I see the two women looking disappointed and one makes a motion to go after us, but the other reaches for her arm, shaking her head. 

We go through customs and throw our suitcases back on the belt and he takes a couple of our carry ons and we go find the British Airways lounge. The kids are excited to just be able to stretch their legs and we help ourselves to the free sandwich and snack bar and enjoy a cup of tea. I call my folks to let me know we are in the States and will be on our flight to Louisville in a bit and can't wait to see them.

Richard gets up to refill his tea and I check on all our electronics, charging them as much as possible for the next leg of our journey. The lounge is fairly full today, lots of people traveling for the Holiday. I hear a couple of excited voices and look up to see him being approached by the same women that spotted him by the luggage earlier. He puts down his tea and politely signs a couple of things and pose for some selfies before he excuses himself and comes back over. One of the women waves in my direction and I just smile and wave back. Luckily they don't come over and leave the lounge.

He sits back down and looks concerned "sorry".

"Sorry for what, Rich? For being recognized.......that's just silly......you have no control over that and at least they were nice and respectful, didn't come barging over here, you know".

"I know, but I worry about it.....don't want you to feel intruded upon or the kids" and he glances at Emma and Elliott, happily playing on the mini playground in the corner. 

I take his hand and squeeze it "don't worry so much, Rich......we're okay.....I understand that comes with being with you".

"And I'm profoundly grateful that you do, love" and he leans in to give me a soft kiss. We exchange a look and go back to enjoying our tea and catching up on messages and emails before we have to board for the last leg of our journey. He scrolls his phone and mutters "but damn.....couldn't they have waited a little bit..." and he shows me his Twitter fed. The picture of him with the one lady is already posted with a @RCArmitage "thank you for being so gracious and enjoy your Thanksgiving here in the US". That is followed by a slew of comments "what?, where did you see him? Was he alone? Is he in the US? He looks good, you are so lucky, please post more info". She has already responded "he is in an airport lounge right now here in the US, I can't believe we just met him and he was very nice, smells incredible and no, he was not alone, lovely Lauren was traveling with him along with her darling kids".

He sighs and I pat his arm "relax, it is what it is". He nods and we sit here for a little bit longer before we gather the kids and walk to our next gate, finally on our way to Louisville, KY.

Our plane is making it's approach to the airport to land and we wake the kids up again and try to gather our things. I stifle a yawn and Richard looks at me "long journey isn't it?".

"Yeah, but all worth it to see my family and we get to go ride".

"I know, I'm excited about that" and I can tell there is something else in his voice.

"What, Rich......what is it....." and our eyes meet and I see it "nervous about meeting my family?".

He gives me an embarrassed smile "yeah, a bit.....what if I don't measure up, I am not a special forces soldier or a successful stock broker".

"No, but you are you and you seem to get along fine with them when we sit and chat on Sunday afternoons on Facetime".

Richard smiles, recalling what has become our Sunday ritual, we have tea while we chat with my parents as they enjoy their breakfast. It has been nice and a good way for them to be part of our lives and get to know Richard. The kids keep us all entertained and there is never a dull moment as they dart in and out, showing off various things to their grandparents.

"You're right, love...it will be fine".

We land and gather all of things and the kids are now bright eyed and very awake, so excited to see their grandparents soon. We walk off the plane, thanking the crew for a lovely flight, the head purser grinning like a fool, she is a major Hobbit fan and got Richard's autograph and a selfie with him.

Richard reaches for my hand and I squeeze it as he leans in, kissing my cheek "welcome home, love".

"Home is London now, but I know what you mean, thanks...." and we make out way through the airport and then finally out through the doors, where people are waiting for their loved ones, many holding signs and flags. Elliott and Emma quickly spot their grandparents, holding up British flags and run in to their arms, getting hugged and kissed to the max.

Richard and I can't help but smile and we exchange a happy look, walking over to my folks hand in hand. I hug my mom tightly and I gesture "mom, please meet Rich in person" and I turn to Richard "my mom, Marilyn". 

My mom just throws her arms around him, hugging him "we are delighted to finally meet you, Rich....welcome".

He hugs her back "thank you, I'm happy to finally meet you in person".

I look at my dad, he is just beaming and then we look at each other and I can see him getting teary eyed as we embrace "ohh dad, don't start please".

He squeezes me tight "I'm just so happy you are here, sweetie" and he holds me out and looks at Richard "and that you brought him with you" and he hauls Richard in for a warm hug too "welcome, Rich......happy you agreed to come meet her crazy family" and he break into laughter.

Richard chuckles "well, I might fit right in then".

We all walk over to the luggage carousel and Richard and my dad get all our suitcases and we make our way to the truck, Richard pushing the cart. We stop in front of a massive white, extended super cab truck with the double wheels in the back. I look at Richard "and welcome to the American idea of a family car".

They load our suitcases in the back, closing the cover and then Richard takes the front passenger seat after much encouragement from my folks and Elliott sits in the middle. My mom, Emma and I get in the back cab, strapping in and my dad starts the roaring engine and we head for home.

We got here mid afternoon and it is a typical late fall day and a bit chilly. Richard looks outside with interest, this is the first time he has been to Kentucky, he has been to NY and LA before. I glance outside as we pass so many familiar places, I grew up here and it still feels welcoming and like home every time I return.

We drive for another 30 minutes, getting a little outside of Louisville and the city is quickly replaced with open fields and more space between the houses and farms here and there. We get off the freeway and drive a little further, finally turning down another road and then into a cobbled stoned driveway with two ornate pillars on either side with a fancy looking iron sign "Tanner Arabians" arched between. White fences are on either side of the driveway, almost as far as the eye can see and as we make our way up towards the buildings, a majestic horse comes running over to the fence. It is almost white as snow except for a darker nose and a little dark around the big, expressive eyes. The tail is held high and the long mane flowing in the wind. 

I touch Richard's shoulder "that is one of the stallions, bred right here and my parents pride and joy".

He looks at the beautiful animal in awe "he is gorgeous.....never seen a horse like that, it almost looks like he is dancing above the ground".

My dad rolls down his window "El Shaklan...how are you today? Guess who came to see you.....Lauren and the kids...". The horse's ears are perked and eyes fixed on my dad and he follows us along the fence up to the house. My dad parks the truck and we all get out, stretching and he turns to Richard "welcome to our home".

Richard looks around the beautiful farm, the house is right in front of us with an inviting covered, wrapped around porch. To the left is a big, long barn and behind that is what looks like a covered riding arena. Over to the left, behind the main house, is a smaller house. A lawn and a pond sits between them, with a little bridge going over it. He looks at my dad "this is very nice, I can't wait to get the grand tour".

My mom chimes in "oh we'll be happy to do that or maybe Lauren's brother, he runs this operation now, we are sort of retired".

My dad snorts "so she thinks" and he winks.

El Shaklan has made it up to the fence by the house and he neighs loudly, shaking his head. The kids run over to him and they climb under the fence so they can pet him. Richard is on instant alert and grabs my arm, but I pat his forearm "it's alright, he is a gentle giant".

"Just making sure.....I've always heard that stallions can be very moody and temperamental".

"Aren't all males like that?" and I crook an eyebrow at him and my parents laugh.

He grins, playfully slapping my arm "very funny, honey".

My dad motions for Richard to follow him "glad to see you guys can banter back and forth, that is what she use to do with Luke" and sadness passes briefly over his face, my dad had loved Luke like his own son. He snaps out of it quickly "come and say hi, he is a wonderful horse". We all walk over there and El shaklan greets us all, but reaches behind my dad, trying get in his pockets. He gives in and takes a couple of sugar cubes and gives it to him "here you go, you spoiled rotten horse" and he pets his strong neck.

Richard runs his hand down his neck "he is a beauty...you must be very proud of your breeding program".

"We are and thank you......glad you are a horse person".

Richard laughs "well, not sure I could not be and still be with Lauren and the kids, Saturday is riding day for us all now, which is wonderful".

"Yeah, we raised her well, she was pretty much born on a horse".

We say goodbye to El Shaklan and walk back over to the truck, getting our suitcases out, I look at my mom "where do you want us? I assume the kids will be in the bunk room in the house?".

"Yes, if they want to" and both Elliott and Emma nod their heads and say in unison "yes, grandma....please". She hugs them both "we are so happy you are here with us for a few days" and then she looks at us "you are welcome in the house or I put fresh sheets on the bed in the barn" and she adds as a matter of fact "you'll have more privacy".

I rolls my eyes at my mom and I turn to Richard, who has tuned an interesting shade of pink and is fiddling with our suitcases "we'll take the barn" and my mom grins happily "good choice" and I motion for Richard to follow me. We walk to the barn and I open the door, inhaling familiar scents of pine shavings, hay and horses. 

Richard stops as we enter, his eyes traveling down the pristine aisle, stalls on either side and several curious heads looking at us "wow.....I have never seen a stable this clean.....it is cleaner than most peoples homes".

"I know, everything always looks immaculate around here......just like the horses they breed, perfection is the goal".

"But he doesn't seem like that as a person, you dad.....he is so warm and caring...".

"He wears many hats, which is good" and I walk over to the wide stairs leading up and we walk upstairs and I open the solid wood door "welcome to the barn apartment, our home for the next few days".

Stepping in, Richard whistles "nice" and he gives me a sheepish look "I must admit when I heard bed in the barn, I was slightly nervous and didn't envision this" and his eyes sweep over the room. It is a good size living room with a small kitchen. A table is near the kitchen and a big window overlooks the drive way and pastures. A comfortable couch and entertaining center is in the corner. He follows me into the bedroom, which has a big king size log bed and french door, leading out to a balcony with views of the property and the outdoor riding arena with more white fenced pastures as long as the eyes can see. A couple of comfy lounge chairs are sitting out there. I open the door to the walk in closet "we can put our suitcases in here" and he lifts them onto the little shelf things and follows me out.

I slide the door to the bathroom open, revealing a nice sized room with a big shower and a jacuzzi tub in the corner, big enough for two. A toilet compartment and double sinks finish it out. I smile when I see my mom has laid towels out, neatly folded on the counter and a couple of even bigger ones over the edge of the tub. Richard turns to me and pulls me into his arms "can we just stay here forever?".

Kissing him and relishing in his lips on mine, I murmur into his mouth "it's nice, huh?".

"It's wonderful, love...." and we stand there for a few minutes and he kisses my neck, making me shiver and I giggle when he hits a sensitive spot "Rich, stop....that tickles...ha, ha, ha...." and I pull away from him and he grins, yanking me in for another hug "I missed you" and he turns serious.

"I missed you too.....it has just been crazy with your press promotion starting, work, the kids......everything".

He nods and sighs "and it'll only get worse after we get back from here.....so we better make every minute count" and he wiggle his eyebrow and goes in for a little more demanding kiss. I return it in earnest and wrap my arms around him and we are lost to the world for a few minutes until someone bangs on the door.

"Lauren, are you guys in here?".

We break and we try to get our breathing under control. I look at Richard "it's my brother....come meet him" and we walk to the front room and I open the door, finding him standing outside with his lovely wife Kim "hey guys, come in and meet Richard".

Nick hugs me tight "so good to see you, baby sister" and Kim slaps him "Nick! She is not a baby".

"Yeah, well to me she will always be the baby" and he turns to Richard as I hug Kim, "Richard.......so nice to see you in person, man.....better than Facetime" and they hug and then it is Kim's turn. We stand and chat for a few minutes and Richard instinctively reaches for my hand and our fingers lace together. I know he was nervous to meet my brother, knowing he would have to pass, but they get along great and it doesn't feel awkward to stand here and talk to them. 

Both my phone and Nick's phone dings and we both look at them and then at Richard and Kim and I speak up "our mom, I guess dinner is served and she is wondering where the hell we are".

Nick nods his head "we better get going........mom is nice until you piss her off" and we all laugh and make our way to the main house.

We enjoy a tasty dinner with my family in the heath room next to my mom's open kitchen. She loves to cook and entertain, so when they renovated the house, she got her dream kitchen. The fire is going in the fireplace and my parent's two dogs, a pug and a golden retriever are sleeping soundly right in front. Emma and Elliott are enjoying all the attention from grandma and grandpa. My mom made slow cooked ribs, with a hearty potato salad, homemade rolls and a green salad. 

Our chairs are scooted back and a our glasses about empty. Richard has his arm loosely draped around my shoulder and my hand is resting on his thigh. We talk for a while longer and Richard draws my attention to the kids, they are both over by the dogs on the floor, just loving on them. We all look at them and I glance at Richard "I know, they would love to have a dog, but I don't feel we are home enough to have one and he can't come with me or you to work".

"Yeah......but they would love it, wouldn't they?" and he smiles at me.

I nod "maybe if I ever start working part time, they can have one" and I see the wheels turning in his head, but he doesn't say anything else about it, he knows I love my job as much as he loves his.

Jet lag is finally hitting like a ton of bricks, so we go get the kids ready for bed after saying goodnight to Nick and Kim. they have a short walk across the lawn to the other house. It has been their home since they got married and my parents love having them so close.

We tug the kids in and say goodnight to my folks before making our way over to the barn. We are both exhausted, but do manage a quick shower and then climb into bed, both dead tired. I think we are asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillows. 

 


	18. Chapter 18

I wake up with a startle and sit up in bed as it takes my brain a minute to register where I am at. The moonlight is shining through the curtains and I glance over next to me, smiling when I see Richard's sleeping form. He is out on his back, one arm above his head and the other draped over his chest, holding the sheet and comforter. He looks so peaceful. I lay there for a few minutes, trying to will myself back to bed, but that is how jet lag is, it sneaks up on you and then, ping, you are wide awake. 

I sigh and carefully ease my covers to the side, getting out of bed, shivering a little, since all I wore to bed was my panties. I walk in the bathroom and reach for one of the two fluffy robes hung next to the towels, another reason i love my mom, she always makes sure you can be cozy and comfortable when you visit. I put it on and then quietly walk in the big room and over to the large windows overlooking the farm. The moonlight is bright and I can see the grounds and the buildings, everything is still, but it usually is at 4 am in the morning. I hate jet lag.

Turning on the gas fireplace, I watch as the flames start to light up the logs and cast a warm glow in the room and a little extra heat, it feels nice. I walk over to the kitchen area and open the fridge, smiling when I see my mom stocked it with essentials and some fresh orange juice. I pour a glass and open the box on the counter, containing some of her home made blueberry muffins. I take one out and take a bite, internally smiling with delight, I missed those and take another sip of orange juice. 

The door to the bedroom opens and Richard comes trotting out, the glow from the fireplace and the light from above the stove, falling upon him. His hair is a little ruffled and he looks sleepy, his voice rough as he walks towards me, just wearing his underwear and the t-shirt from yesterday "what are you doing, love?". He scratches his stomach, lifting the t-shirt up and he comes all the way over, wrapping me in his arms from behind and kissing my neck "can't sleep?".

I turn my head, so our lips can meet in is a soft kiss and I murmur into his mouth "no, woke up and wide awake".

He sighs and kisses the top of my head "welcome to jet lag".

I snort "tell me about it.......and why did you get up, you looked sound asleep a few minutes ago".

"Yeah, well that didn't last I'm afraid, I woke up and noticed you were gone.....wanted to come check on you and I'm not tired either right now".

Turning all the way around in his arms and hug him tight and then kisses him again "I'm sorry, Rich.....want some tea or juice or something?".

"Tea would be nice, but is there even any here?" and he looks over at the counter.

"There is, because I told my mom what you liked and she stocked up".

"She is a good woman just like her daughter" and I smile and slide out of his embrace to go put some water over for tea. 

He yawns and stretches while looking around "I love this little place, so inviting and cozy and with the fireplace".

"I know, I have lots of fond memories here and some not so fond" and I reflect for a moment or two.

Richard comes over, leaning against the counter and pulls me in between his legs and cups my chin "I'm sorry, Lauren....why didn't you tell me? We didn't need to stay here".

I lean my head on his chest, hearing his steady heartbeat and then I look at him, his face bathe in a soft glow "it's okay, Rich.....I want to make more good memories here" and I pause before continuing "this is were I went after Luke's funeral for a few days, I just really had to think and process the entire experience, come to terms with the fact he was really gone and decide what I wanted to do with my life".

He pulls me into his arm, hugging me tight, his mouth softly nuzzling my neck, his beard tickling my skin "I'm sorry, love". I just melt into him and we stand there in silence, nothing needs to be said, we know each other so well by now and our love have only continued to grow stronger.

The water on the stove boils, so I go pour it into cups, handing him one with his favorite kind of tea "want to go sit on the couch by the fireplace?". He nods and walks over there, me following him with the box of muffins and a couple of napkins. The fire feels warm and inviting as we sit down and I hand him a muffin "here, try one of these, they are my mom's homemade".

Taking a bite, he makes a happy face as he chews and swallow, a few crumbs sticking in his beard "mmm......those are tasty".

"i know, she has talent in the baking department, just wait until you tastes her pies in a couple of days for Thanksgiving".

He smiles "maybe it is good I didn't get fitted for my suit for the Hobbit premiere until after we get home, they might need to take the pants out.....if she is half as good as you with the baked goods".

"She is better".

"I highly doubt that, your cookies and cakes are to die for and one of the reasons I have been slaving at the gym".

"That's nice of you to say, but I think we just both enjoy food so much, the gym has to be our friend".

"I'm just telling the truth" and he takes another sip of tea and finishes the muffin "mmmm, that was delicious" and he leans back, after putting his cup on the table.

Sliding my cup onto the table too, I scoot closer to him, leaning in and touching his beard "you got a few crumbs stuck, love".

He lets me remove them, but grumbles "the only reason I dislike having it, food gets caught in it".

Putting the crumbs on the napkin on the table, I turn back to him and snuggle closer, running my hand over his beard "I know, but besides that, I love your beard.....it feels nice and it is sexy as hell on you".

He shifts a little, leaning against the one end of the couch and pulls me with him, so I end up laying more or less on top of him. He caressing my face with his hand and bends his head down to kiss me, pulling me up closer and deepening the kiss a little. We soon get lost in each other and the kissing, slowly exploring each other's mouths and letting our tongues taste and caress. He runs his hands over my back and kneads my behind through the thick robe. I moan into his mouth and push myself off his chest, quickly untying the robe and shedding it on the floor.

Richard looks at me and mutters "damn, Lauren....is this a good idea?", but that is quickly turned into a low grunt as I put a leg on either side of him, settling on top of his crotch, my breasts displayed right in front of his face.

"Well, neither of us can sleep right now, right? So we might as well put the time to good use......it will be a while before we have the luxury of doing this again.......once you leave for all the Hobbit stuff..." and I rub myself against him and kiss him deeply.

He goes hard almost instantly and we slowly move our hips in rhythm, relishing in all the wonderful feelings that our bodies are experiencing together. We are in no hurry and just take our time, kissing and touching each other. His big hands run over my naked back and slide under the waistband of my panties, caressing my behind and he bucks up, doing his best to move his hard cock against my core. I let out a moan and arch my back and he can't help but move one hand up to cup my breast, paying special attention to my nipple with his thumb.

I feel wetness pool and I need to feel his chest, I tug at his t-shirt and we somehow manage to get it off him and I kiss his broad chest, running my fingers through the sparse hair and then suck on one of his nipples. He grunts and his touches get a little rougher and we look at each other, his eyes dark with arousal. 

We share another passionate kiss before I get off him and stand up, holding out my hand, which he takes as he gets up and he leads us back to the bedroom. I turn on the light in the room, but dims it, we can see each other, but are not blinded by the light. I think I can count on one hand the times we have had sex in total darkness. We both know where this is heading and we meet in a warm embrace by the bed, enjoying our skin to skin contact and we tug at each others underwear, quickly ridding ourselves of the offending garments.

Embracing again, a blissful sigh escapes my lips as the familiarity of his naked body is registered in my brain. I know every curve, strong, hard, soft and flat part of him. I know what he likes and what brings him the most pleasure. He knows mine just as well. He loves every inch and his fingers have memorized every soft curve as he has mapped it out many times.

We exchange another deep kiss, it is passionate, but not hurried, our tongues slowly moving around each other and we press closer to each other, feeling the need to be united. He has his arms wrapped around me, one hand planted firmly on my behind as he walks me backwards until my legs make contact with the bed. He takes hold of me, lifting me up and planting me softly in the middle of the bed. 

I look at him as he stands there for a second, he naked body in all it's glory, he really is beautiful, strong and masculine. My eyes travel over his chest and down over his stomach, tracing the sparse hair under his belly button to his fully erect cock. He is big and hard, the head red and swollen, looking angry and ready for release. A pearly drop of precum hangs from the slit and I reach out to spread it when he crawls in bed, laying down next to me.

Closing my hand around his hardness, I relish in how silky soft his skin is, yet he feels hard as steel underneath. I feel his pulsing veins and rub him gently, tightening my fist ever so lightly and run my thumb over his head, pulling his foreskin all the way back, exposing the sensitive head. He kisses me with urgency and he hand goes to my behind, squeezing it as he grunts into my mouth as I touch him, the precum coating my fingers, making them slicker as I continue to pump him slowly. 

He pushes me into the mattress with his body and kisses my mouth with hunger, opening my mouth with his tongue to gain more access and wet kissing noises is the only thing heard for a few minutes along with our labored breathing. Neither of us are in the mood for much talking, we just allow each other to feel with every fiber of our bodies and communicate with our eyes and hands.

His hand travels up my side to my breast, his entire palm encasing my soft orb and he kneads it tenderly and I moan as he rubs his thumb over my nipple, sending jolts of pleasure to my core, making me even wetter. He knows exactly what this does to me and he repeats the action to my other breast. We kiss again and I rub him a little faster as he presses into my fist, desperate for more friction. I thumb his head and press my finger on the underside and then move my hand back down to lightly tickle his balls, rolling them softly in my hand. He twitches and they tighten, moving closer to his body and he pulls away, my touch almost too much.

I look at him with heavy lidded eyes and they close and a soft moan escapes my lips as he hand finds my very core, his fingers dwelling into my sensitive and wet folds. He rubs me and strokes over my clit and I arch my hips up, wanting more. I grab his head with my hand and bring him down for another kiss and he pushes his long index finger inside of me and beginning to move it rapidly in and out. Throwing my head back, I spread my legs even more and he adds another finger, while rubbing his thumb in rhythm over my swollen knob.

Burying my head in his neck, his beard tickling my face, I moan out my pleasure and he whispers hoarsely in my ear, his lips brushing against my lobe "come for me, Lauren.....let me feel and hear you, love".

He moves his fingers faster and pushes deep, knowing exactly what it takes, crooking them and the damn breaks, sending me into orgasm, my inner walls contracting powerfully around him and I grip his arm, letting out a deep, blissful sound of pure pleasure "ohhhhhhh god, Rich". He lets me ride it out and we meet in another deep kiss as he removes his fingers from me, giving me a happy grin.

I push him onto his back and sit up next to him, looking him in the eye as I stroke his erection, my fingers getting coated with the slick drops of his arousal and I bend down to lick him from base to tip a few times before swirling my tongue around his swollen head. He tugs on my arm and I know he doesn't want to wait any longer, I crawl up over him, letting him knead my breasts and then I reach between us, putting him in place and I slide down on his hardness, throwing my head back and hearing him groan as he gets buried deep inside me "ohhh shit".

We lock eyes and he holds my hips as he starts to thrust up and we move together for a few minutes, both relishing in the intense pleasure we are both experiencing as we make love. He slows down a bit and moves a little and I know what he wants, we can read each other pretty well without too many words at this point. I sit up and lean back as he sits up, my legs going behind his butt. We are now chest to chest, me almost wrapped around him. My arms goes around his broad shoulders and his hands are placed on my rear when he starts to thrust his hips again. 

This position feels so intimate and our mouths fuse together as he moves me up and down on his cock, my hands are all over his back and I can feel and hear he is getting close. His breathing picks up and he thrusts even harder and I bite his earlobe softly "that's it, Rich......fuck me, baby.....ohhh" and a few more strokes and he goes even more rigid and he gushes his hot seed deep inside of me in spasm after spasm, grunting into my shoulder "ohhh fuck yeah".

We cling to each other as we both try to come down from the high, our heads buried in each others shoulders and our chests heaving against each other. This was mind blowing and very intimate at the same time. We both let out a breath and exchange a soft kiss.

I smile at him as he beard tickles my lips "holy wow, Rich".

He chuckles and tenderly cups my chin "you can say that again, love".

We stay intertwined for a while longer before finally slowly untangling ourselves. He makes a run for the bathroom to grab a towel and clean up the mess from our lovemaking and then we both crawl into bed, settling in each others arms and fall asleep again.

 

Several hours later:

KNOCK              KNOCK                       KNOCK

"Mum! Rich! Are you guys awake? We brought you some breakfast".

I slowly come out of a heavy sleep, registering Richard's body pressed against my back, a strong, masculine arm draped over me and his breathing on my neck. I hear Emma's faint voice and stir, rolling over and kissing Richard " hey love, I think the kids brought us breakfast, are you awake?" and I yell out to them "yeah, give me a minute".

He mumbles and reaches for me, pulling into his arms and a kiss "mmmm.....no, not really".

I feel his morning erection press against me and I smile "well, part of you is up for sure.....".

Groaning, he rolls on his back and rubs his eyes "bad pun, Lauren..." and he sits up, looking down at me "I guess we should put on some clothes, huh?'.

I get out of bed "yeah, unless you will foot the bill to the therapist for the next 5 years" and I catch him looking at me "what?".

He gets up to and walks over to me, pulling me into his arms and kissing me "you are just so beautiful and hot to me, love.....I am still not sure how I got this lucky".

"I think we are the lucky ones, Rich.....that you wanted us, not just me, but them too" and I motion toward the door.

"I honestly can't imagine my life without them or you anymore".

KNOCK KNOCK  

"MUM!", Elliott's inpatient voice carries through.

We look at each other and smile, Richard kissing me again "I think you are wanted" and we put on the bathrobes and I go open the door.

"Yes, we can hear you both just fine, thank you......but we had to wake up....Mum and Rich feel a little jet lagged right now".

Richard comes out of the bedroom, his hair is a bit ruffled and Emma starts to giggle and he looks at her "what's so funny, pumpkin?".

"You hair.....it looks like a birds nest or something".

I look at her "Emma, that is not very nice to say".

"But it is the truth, Mum....look at it" and I do, exchanging a soft smile with him as we both recall why he hair looks like that.

He looks at Emma "it just means I slept really good. How did you sleep?".

"Good and then i helped Grandma make some fruit salad" and she points to the bowl on the ground and Elliott chimes in "and cinnamon rolls" and he gives me a plate, that still feels warm.

"That is so nice" and Richard takes the fruit and we put it on the table. I make water for tea and we sit with the kids, talking to them as we enjoy a lazy breakfast.

I look at them "so what are you guys wanting to do today?".

Elliott answers right away "I want to go riding, Grandpa said we could......in a bit, and he thought you wanted to go too?".

"Yes we do, but i also need to help Grandma make pies this afternoon for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Maybe you guys can take Richard and go help uncle Nick with the horses, feed them and clean out their stalls?".

Richard nods as he takes a sip of tea "that is a great idea".

We got change into riding gear and walk out to the stables with the kids and my dad. Richard helps the kids, while my dad and I saddle two other horses, one of them being El Shaklan. I put a saddle on a beautiful dabble grey mare named Medina and she is bit feisty and seems excited about the prospect of getting out. Elliott can pretty much get his own horse ready, but Emma needs help and Richard is so sweet helping her and I see my dad watch him intensely, how he speaks softly to her and lift her up, so she can place the saddle on the horses back. My dad smiles and then looks a me, nodding and he gets a bit misty eyed, wiping a tear, clearing his throat. I am moved and knows he is so happy for me and the kids.

Everyone finishes and strap on their helmets. Richard comes back over and my dad hands him the reigns to El Shaklan, Richard looks at him in shock "are you serious? He is a award winning stallion......".

"Please, Richard.....I want you to experience him and why we love him so much".

I look at Richard "my dad is a firm believer that a show horse should be as great under saddle as on a halter or it is no good. El Shaklan is that and a dream to ride".

The horse nuzzles Richard's arm to assure him and he pets the gorgeous triangular head "I'm honored" and we walk in procession out to the indoor arena, mounting the horses when we get there. This very much feels like what we love to do each Saturday back home in London, go riding at the stable. We spend the next 30 minutes riding our hearts out, the kids have a blast and I love to see Richard on a horse. He looks so relaxed and carefree.

He rides up next to me and grins "wow, you were right, he is an amazing horse".

"I told you and yes he is, he might have spoiled your expectations from now on".

My dad is watching and helping the kids a bit and when they get tired, he leads them back to unsaddle.

Richard and I ride outside and I lead him on a nice ride around the property, showing him the area. It is a crisp fall day, but it feels great to be outside. We let the horses gallop down the field and it always feels so liberating and free. We stop on top of the hill overlooking the farm and he looks at me, giving me a big smile, leaning over and planting a soft kiss on my lips "thank you, love....this is paradise".

I kiss him back "I'm so glad you are here with me".

We ride back to the stable and spend some time cleaning the horses up before putting them back. Right before we do, Richard hands me his phone "here, take a picture with me and this handsome fella". He stands next to El Shaklan, holding his head and I snap a few.

We go check on the kids before having a quick shower and then joining them and my parents for lunch. We sit and chat for a while before the kids, my dad and Richard head out to go help Nick with all the feeding and cleaning.

My mom and I get busy in the kitchen, making several different pies for tomorrow. We make a few extras since my parents always send their farm help home with a big basket of Thanksgiving goodies for them and their families. One of their ways of thanking them for helping make this place so successful and the most anticipated item in there is always my mom's apple pie. We both love being in the kitchen and fall into a routine quickly.

I am rolling out dough and my mom is preparing the filling for the apple pies. She looks at me "so.....".

"So what, Mom?".

She smirks "when is the wedding?".

"What wedding?" and I look at her and shake my head when I realize what she means "oh no, no.....not in the near future......we haven't even known each other a year....I don't even know if he is even interested in that".

"Come on, Lauren.....he lives with you guys, sleeps there and help care for the kids, it is like you are married it seems".

" I know it does, but maybe that is another reason not to rush it, it works what we have......".

"Perhaps, but would you marry him if he asked?".

I answer without thinking "of course I would, he is wonderful, almost too good to be true".

She smiles as she puts some filling in the pie next to me "oh believe it, honey......he is real and he loves you so, so much and my heart just melts when I see him with Emma and Elliott, he clearly loves them too".

"Oh I know, Mom...he is a good stepdad" and I get a little reflective for a moment.

She puts her stuff down and comes over to hug me "Lauren....sweetie......it's okay and dad and I could not be happier for you and the kids and for him. He loves you like we remember Luke loved you, the way he looks at you when you are not watching, it is heart stopping. He adores you".

I sniffle a little "that is so sweet and I love him too, he is just wonderful, loving and caring".

"Just be happy, Lauren.....this is what Luke would have wanted....remember he always talked about wanting you to find love and joy again after he had passed".

"Yeah, we talked a lot about it, I just thought it would never happen".

She is now crimping the top of the pie and I am cutting out decorative apples and leaves from the leftover dough to put on top. She looks at me "well it did, honey and we are just thrilled for you".

"Thanks".

We finish and then start baking them, being grateful my mom has two ovens. Soon the house smells so wonderful.

Everyone comes in from the stables and we gather in the kitchen, anticipating a taste as soon as the pie comes out.

Richard walks up behind me, wrapping his arms around me, kissing my cheek "mmmmm, smells delicious".

I turn my head so our lips can meet and our fingers lace together on my stomach "I hope it is. How was the stable work?".

"It was great".

My brother pipes up "yeah, I told Richard if his acting career ever dries up, I'll hire him in a heartbeat".

His wife swats his arm "Nick!".

Richard laughs and they give each other a grin, they clearly get along great "I'll keep that in mind".

We all eat a piece of fresh baked pie and then spend the rest of the day just being together as a family and catching up.

After dinner, jet lag hits us hard again and we soon say goodnight, before walking hand in hand over to the apartment in the barn. We get ready for bed and he shows me his Twitter account on his iPad as we sit in bed. It has one of the pictures from earlier with El Shaklan, Richard smiling, his eyes standing out next to the snow white fur of the horse and the comment "not every day you get to ride such a majestic animal! Thank you El Shaklan".

I smile, two handsome boys in one picture.

We talk for a few minutes and then turning off the lights, snuggling together. He is on his back and I lay on my side, one of my hands resting on his chest, his hand enclosed around it. After one final kiss, we quickly drifts off to sleep, grateful for the wonderful day we had with my family. 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank You to my Twitter friend for helping me with the paparazzi issue......I owe you yet again!
> 
> I'm sorry it has taken so long to update this, but other stories and life got in the way. I'm not even sure if anyone is still reading this, but enjoy the update if you are!

5 days later:

We just got back from visiting my parents and had a wonderful time. Spend lots of time riding horses, visiting and just relaxing. My parents got along with Richard like fish in water and we had a great Thanksgiving. The Holiday was even more meaningful to me this year, because there seemed to be so much to be thankful for, most of all the man I have come to love with every fiber of my being.

I'm currently standing in the costume room at BBC while Ellen looks over the dress I am wearing, making sure it drapes right and fits like a glove. I look in the mirror and must admit i am pretty pleased how it turned out. It is a gorgeous blue, sleeveless gown, with a pretty fitted top, hugging my torso. It is made out of fat satin and it drapes down my body before it sweeps into a train. The skirt is hand painted with scattered peacock feathers that all point towards the back and that is covered with the painted feathers in green, blue, purple and gold. My artist friend, Heather did them and they are better than I imagined.

Ellen fiddles with the fabric around my bust "there....we want it to look classy and cover enough......" and she grins "and Richard needs to be able to concentrate on being the movie star, not stare at your cleavage".

"Very funny, Ellen".

"Just being honest here, darling........where is he today, prepping for the premiere tomorrow?".

"He checked Emma out of school to take her shopping for Christmas and spend some time with her since she is not going tomorrow.......we figured the movie as a bit too much for her".

She nods "smart move and that is really nice of him".

"He really has bonded with the kids and he feels guilty she can't go and he is leaving the next day to fly to Paris, Brazil and then the US for premieres and then on to New Zealand before coming home right before Christmas".

"Wow, hope he did his Christmas shopping......".

"We did a little bit in Kentucky, but I think he ordered something for his folks online and I took care of most of the kids' stuff and I told him not to buy me anything, I really don't need anything at all".

"You are a nice girlfriend".

We finish with the dress and I can finally take it off.

 

Around the same time:

Richard is navigating the shopping cart inside the big toy store with ease, following Emma down the aisles as she looks for something for her brother. She points to a big Nerf gun with some big bullets "that one".

"Are you sure? Doesn't he already have a Nerf gun?".

She puts her hand on her hips "yes, but you can never have too many, that is what he says and so does Martin....they always play with them".

"Okay, if you think that is what he wants" and he hands it to her and she sticks it in the cart, looking happy. She walks on, towards the girls section and Richard tells her "okay, you can pick one small toy from here.....one you can maybe play with when Grandma and Grandpa Robert's watch you tomorrow while we are at the movies".

She nods and runs excited down the barbie aisle. Richard pulls his phone out, just checking the time and to see if he has any pending messages. He is suppose to have dinner with the Hobbit cast tonight somewhere. He scrolls his phone and looks up when he hears Emma squeal in pure delight "ohhhhh look!". He puts his phone away and notices someone at the end of the aisle tapping on their phone eagerly and glancing over. Ignoring it, he walks down to see what Emma is so excited about and stops by a big, pink barbie house. It is every little girl's dream, with several rooms and furniture and even has matching curtains. Emma looks at him and then back at the toy.

He runs his hand over his chin "well...that is kind of big and remember your mum said it had to be something small, if we got you anything, sweetie?".

Emma bats her eyes at him and touches the doll house, takes a deep breath before blurting into a long argument "I know, but I am sure Mum wont mind if you talk to her and I have always wanted one and I don't have one and it is pink and you know it is my favorite color" and she has to stop to get more air in her lungs.

Richard can't help but smile and he has no defense against her "okay...you can have it, but it will be part of your Christmas too, okay?".

She throws her arms around him and he crouches down to hug her, she puts her hands around his neck "yes, thank you, Rich......you are the best".

He holds her for a moment longer, in awe that you can feel so deeply for someone else's flesh and blood, but he realizes he loves her as she was his own. He puts the box half way in the cart and they make their way to the check out. The store is a bit busy today, people have started their Christmas shopping. They stand in line and it is finally their turn and Richard pays for the things in their cart and he grabs Emma's hand as they exit, wanting to keep her safe for cars.

Richard sees the paparazzi right away, but just gives them a smile and try to ignore them, steering Emma and the cart towards his car. They start snapping pictures and shouting at him "Mr. Armitage....over here please....will you pose for us please and talk to us? Who are you with, who is the girl? What did you buy?". 

They are loud and come closer. Emma tenses up and grips his hand tighter and he says quietly to her "it's alright, pumpkin.....keep walking, almost to the car". Everything changes when a third photographer about knocks her over, trying to get in Richard's face, it happens within a split second, but he reacts lightening fast, scooping Emma up on his arm, turning her away from the guy and bolting to the car with her. He opens the backseat door and gets her in, closing it .

He turns around, facing the three men, all cameras pointed at him and he shoots them a look before retreating the cart and quickly loading the stuff in the trunk. The one very pushy guy comes closer, trying to take pictures of Emma through the window and Richard bellows "really? Do you mind? She is just a kid!" and he gives them all one last disgusted look before getting in his car and driving off. He looks in his rear view mirror "Emma, sweetie......are you okay?".

He catches her eyes and sees she is crying, so he reaches a hand back there and touches her knee "ohh sweetie, don't cry......what's the matter?".

She grips his fingers and says through tears "I don't like when you are mad like that and yells.....are you mad a me?".

Richard's heart about breaks when he hears her words and he pulls into the next parking lot, while scanning for the press and puts the car in park and turns around, looking directly at her "ohh pumpkin........no, I am not mad at you at all and I'm sorry if it scared you, please don't think that, okay?".

He rubs her hand and she nods "but you were yelling....".

"Yes, yelling at them......they were trying to take our pictures and that is not okay with me".

"Why did they do that?".

Richard sighs and runs his hand through his scruff before answering "because you know I am an actor, right?", she nods as he keeps talking "so they want my pictures in the magazine, because they can make money from it......it might be a bit hard for you to understand.......and I don't mind them taking pictures when I got to a movie premiere or something, but it is not okay when they take pictures of me, you or your Mum when we are out doing private family things".

"It scared me.....that one guy nearly pushed me".

"I know, sweetie and I'm really sorry......." and locks eyes with her "but I am not mad at you at all.....I am angry with them and scared they were going to hurt you". Emma nods and Richard looks up, realizing at least one of the paparazzi is following him and has pulled in a bit away, waiting for him to move on. He mutters under his breath and then turns forward again, starting the car "I think they are still after us, so we better go.......I'll call your Mum and see if we can go to her work, but please don't worry.......I will never have them hurt you, okay" and he glances back at Emma to reassure her.

He swings into the road, very aware that a white sedan is following them at a distance and speaks to the bluetooth in the car after activating it "call Lauren". The phone starts to ring over the speakers.

 

At the same time: 

I have just finished pressing the dress and Richard's suit for tomorrow when my phone goes off in my purse. I can hear it is Richard, so I hurry and pick it up "hey love, did you get something for Emma?".

As soon as he answers I can tell something is wrong "yeah, we did......"

I cut him off "what's the matter, Rich".

He is trying to sound calm on the phone "the fu..I mean the darn paparazzi was laying in wait when we exited the store, they took pictures and one about knocked over Emma".

"What?" and I pace the floor and Ellen gives me a look.

"Yeah, but I got her in the car quickly, but I think they are trailing us".

"But they can't do that, they changed the laws after Princess Diana's death".

"They did, but they can still follow, just have to stay further behind.......I think I have two on my ass......I'm coming to BBC, there is no way I am going to let them follow us home.......go tell Ian at check in, to just open the gate when I get there" and he mutters a few profanities under his breath, so Emma wont hear them.

I can't help but smile "I will, Rich and calm down......it'll be alright".

"We'll have to talk about this........it has to stop......Emma was scared to death, they could have hurt her......I would never forgive myself if something happens to her because of me and the stupid fame, I could not....".

"Rich, love...".

He growls "yes?".

"Stop rambling.......nothing happened and yes, we can talk about it........just hang up and get here safely".

"I will......and Lauren....".

"Yes?".

"I love you".

"I love you too, Rich.....see you in a few".

I hang up and look at Ellen "the picture hounds are trailing Richard.......he'll be here in a few minutes, I need to go tell Ian to let him in".

"They are such bastards aren't they and he has Emma, right?".

"Yes, and I think that freaked him out......".

"Of course it would, he loves her like his own at this point".

I stop in my tracks, I know it is fact, but it is just different hearing someone else say it. I smile "yes, he does......." and I run out to the little security house by the entrance to BBC to just give Ian a heads up. He listens and nods across the street "I think they already alerted someone else" and I see another black car, parked over where the vultures usually hang out.

I sigh "bloody great....." and I am about to say something else, but Richard comes down the road and swings in, stopping just for a second, so Ian can flip the gate open and I jump in on the front passenger seat.

Richard drives through and into the parking garage, away from prying eyes. He pulls up next to my car and shuts off his, letting out a breath, kissing me quickly and then turns to the back, looking at Emma "you alright, pumpkin?".

She nods and grins "yea, I like it when you speed crazy like that".

"Rich" and I swat his arm and he blushes "I only went a little fast".

I roll my eyes "yeah and pigs can fly........you are sweating bullets".

"Of course I am, they are crazy......" and he starts getting worked up again.

"It's okay......let me go tell Ellen I am leaving......you drive out the other way and I'll meet you at home".

He nods and we kiss again "ok, drive safely, love and make sure they are not following you".

"I will".

I make it home, without anyone trailing me. I saw them perk up when I drove out, but since it was just me in the car, they lost interest. I pull in next to Richard's car in the garage and he is in the process of removing a very large box from the trunk. Getting out, I lift an eyebrow "is that the small item you bought her?".

He looks bashful "well, uhmm...yeah......she didn't have one, she really wants it and it is her favorite color".

I lean up to kiss him, touching his stubble, he shaved off the beard when we got home from Thanksgiving. I shake my head "she has you wrapped around her little finger". I have two garment bags in my hands, holding his suit and my dress.

"I know.....but what do you do?" and he lifts up the box, carrying it in the house as Emma holds the door. She looks at me "are you mad, Mum?".

"No, I am not mad, honey, but you can be glad your brother is not home right now to throw a fit about it and I hope you know that Richard spoiled you today".

She beams "I know.....and Elliott can't be mad, he gets to go with you tomorrow to the premiere".

Richard sticks the box in what use to be Luke's office. We got it totally cleaned out and the old wooden floor resanded, it looks amazing. Richard started to move some stuff in here, but so far it is just his grandmother's old desk and some boxes with books. 

Emma comes running in "can we open it now and put it together?".

I glance at my watch "no, I don't think we have time.....we are going to dinner with the cast from the Hobbit tonight, remember you have to go down to Krista's and play with Claire? Elliott is already down there playing with Martin".

"Okay.....maybe later or tomorrow?".

Richard looks at her "I promise I will see what I can do after we get home tonight, okay?".

She grins "okay...." and I look at him "you are way too nice......I'm going to walk her down to Krista's and then we can get ready to leave, ok?".

He nods, hugging Emma "have a good night, sweetie" and we leave, making the short walk down the street a few house. Krista offered to watch them tonight and keep them overnight, so Richard and I can have one last night alone before he leaves.

I stay and chat for a few minutes and then hug the kids and walk back home. I open the front door and Richard's voice is booming from the family room "I know that, Liz, but this is getting ridiculous! They came at me like a group of vultures and about knocked Emma over. I want you to look into security and what else we can do to prevent this from happening again, they can hound me all they fucking want, but leave my family the hell alone!".

Walking in the kitchen, I see him pacing over by the couches, his phone to his ear and gesturing wildly with his other hand. His face is red and I can tell he is really on the verge of loosing it. He listens to what his publicist is saying on the other end, nodding and pacing some more. "Uhu......well.....I don't care what we need to do, they just need to leave Lauren and the kids alone....I'll take out a full page add if I have to.......no, I'm not being dramatic.........I disagree with that sentiment and I gotta go get ready......I'll talk to you later" and he hangs up, huffing in disgust.

I come over, gently taking his hand and leading him to the couch, making him sit down. He does with a sigh and I scoot up next to him, touching his shoulder and I move my fingers up his neck and massage the base of his skull while holding his hand with my other one. He starts to relax and I lean in to kiss his cheek "care to tell me what that was all about and why you just about slammed the phone down on your publicist?".

He gestures and sounds defeated "I know I was an ass.....but today was too much, they went too far......they need to leave the kids alone, they are off limits".

"I hate to break it to you, Rich....but the tabloids have a funny way of deciding what is off limits, so not much you can do there".

"I'm going to look into security or something.....I will never forgive myself if something happens to either you or the kids because of my fame".

Our eyes meet and I look at him with sincerity "no you are not....." and I hold a finger up when he wants to protest "no, let me finish please.....I refuse to have security running after us, that is not how I want to live.....we can manage this  and just be cautious. If it gets bad, we can readdress it, but right now...it was one incident, so lets not freak out all the way yet".

Richard shakes his head and brings our intertwined hands to his lips, kissing my knuckles "I don't understand why you put up with me.....but I know you are right.......".

"Because I love you and I understand it comes with the territory, the paparazzi and the press......I don't love it, but I think we can learn to live with it".

He pulls me into a hug and our lips meet in a soft kiss "I love you so much".

"I love you too.......should be get ready?".

"Yeah, we should, but it is totally casual, no press tonight and Pete will likely just be in shorts and a wrinkled shirt".

We do go change. Richard puts one a fresh pair of jeans, a blue v neck t-shirt and his black Belstaff. I find a fancier pair of jeans, my cowboy boots and a cream lace top with a short jean jacket over it. I had been hesitant to attend and asked him to just go alone, to reconnect with everyone from the cast, but he insisted I come with him.

The studio sends a car, so we don't have to worry about driving or parking, which is nice. Sitting on the back seat, Richard holds my hand and kisses my cheek "nervous?".

"A bit, I think you should just have gone alone.....you could just visit and not have to have me in tow, you know these people so well.......".

"I didn't want to go alone.....I want you to meet them" and he pauses for a second "and I want them to meet you, the most important person in my life.....a lot has changed for me since I left New Zealand".

We arrive and are lead out and walk into the restaurant, they have reserved the entire thing and it feels like a big family reunion. Lots of smiles, hugs and laughter as we make out way in and are greeted by everyone. Richard never lets go of my hand, introducing me to his cast mates and to Peter, Fran and Philippa. They all seem genuinely happy to see him and it is evident how well respected and liked he was on the set. We enjoy a casual dinner and I catch Richard several times just looking at me and smiling.

I excuse myself to go to the ladies room and run into Evangeline Lilly, we were introduced earlier. She smiles "Lauren....I am sure you know, but you are one lucky lady having snatched up Rich".

"Yeah, I know......he is very special".

"He is and I have never seen him as happy as he is now, he just beams".

"Thank you......".

"Of course, we are all thrilled for him and you, we care about him so much and all wished he would find true love".

When I come back out, Richard is standing up, talking to Graham, they are looking at his phone and as I come closer, I can hear Richard "this is Emma and Elliott....." and he looks so proud showing them off.

Graham turns to me and grins "he has it bad, Lauren.....we all expect an invite to the wedding".

Richard blushes a bit and looks at him "very funny, Graham", but he takes my hand, locking eyes with me "maybe someday".

I just smile and Graham chuckles "never in a million years would I have thought I would see Richard reduced to a love sick puppy" and we all laugh as Richard puts his arm around me.

Dinner wraps up and a few pointers is given for the press conference tomorrow before the premiere. Then everyone breaks up, some still suffering from jet lag and we get in the car to be driven home. It is still fairly early, so as soon as we get home, Richard sheds his jacket and says he will go work on the doll house and he leans closer "and then maybe we can.......you know...." and he wiggles an eyebrow.

I play dumb "we can what?".

He gets close, pushing me against the wall in the hall "we can make love......I wont see you for almost 3 weeks".

We kiss deeply for a few minutes and finally break as I suck on his lower lip "maybe.....I need to go make sure my dress is ready and make the kids' lunches for tomorrow, I am still taking them to school even though they are sleeping at Krista's".

Parting ways, he swats my butt "okay, but hurry up and maybe you can help me".

I go in my sewing room, making sure the dress is all ready, Richard hasn't seen it yet. It looks good and I run upstairs to check on his suit and his suitcase is half way packed on the floor in the closet. I hang my jean jacket back up. He is leaving bright and early the day after tomorrow, flying with Peter Jackson to Paris and then so on. It will be strange not having him around, he has been part of our lives almost daily since we met.

Loud banging sounds are coming from downstairs and Richard's voice carries upstairs "fucking shit! Dammit! Just fucking fit together!". I stifle a giggle and walk back downstairs, calling his name "Rich......everything alright?".

He sounds frustrated "yeah...yeah.....".

I stop in the kitchen "want some tea?".

"Sure, that would be great, love......thanks". More noises coming from the office, followed by several more swear words and frustrated muttering.

I smile and shake my head. I make tea and grab some cookies, put it all on a tray and start walking towards the noises. 

Richard all of a sudden roars "OUCH! Stupid piece of shit!".

Walking faster, I enter the room and he is sitting on the floor, the box open and pieces of the house everywhere. He is sucking on his pinky and gives me a pathetic look. I put the tray down and sit down next to him "what happened? Are you okay? You look like you are about to have a stroke".

He holds up his finger "it just got pinched between the two walls as I tried to push them together and no, I am not fucking okay......this thing is like worse that a piece of Ikea furniture.....no instructions........and yes, I will have a stroke in a minute, this is ridiculous".

I try and look serious "I'm sorry, Rich....." and kiss his cheek "have some tea and we will look at it after, okay?".

"Fine" and he shoves a cookie in his mouth and pours some tea. We sit on the floor and just talk for a few minutes, enjoying the last few hours before he leaves. He takes a sip and looks at me, saying quietly "I'm going to miss you.......".

I lean my head on his shoulder and he kisses my hair. I inhale his scent, trying to memorize it "I'll miss you too, Rich.....it will be so strange not having you around".

He gestures with his hand "you know, it never use to bother me one bit to leave for work, even when I was in a relationship, but now......and I don't want to sound silly or dramatic, but I really don't want to.....".

"It'll be fine and the time will fly by fast, you will be so busy doing all the press and going to the premieres, you wont have much time to think about us or miss us".

"I think you are very wrong about that" and he leans in to kiss me "I'll miss you so much, love".

It is a soft and tender kiss that just lingers for a while. We finally break and look at the disaster before us "well, want to try and tackle this?".

He sighs "I guess so, I did kind of promise her I would work on it".

"It's freezing in here" and I crawl over to the double gas fireplace, the other side facing the family room and turn it on, the flames soon sending a warm glow and some heat into the office.

We look at the picture on the front of the box and I start handing him pieces and it takes shape in not too long and soon the monster pink barbie house is a reality. He wipes his brow "wow, thanks......it is a lot easier when one can hand you the pieces and tell you where they go".

I look at our handy work "nice job and you sure spoiled her rotten with that...".

"I know, but she really wanted it and I felt guilty for leaving and that she can't go tomorrow".

"Don't....." and I nod my head "yeah, I get it, but it is part of your job, if you were a soldier you would leave too and we all know she is too young to go tomorrow".

"Uhu.....I know you are right, but she has a way of looking at you with her big blue eyes and get what she wants.......".

I scoot over to him and smile "ohh yeah? It kind of sounds like someone else with bright blue eyes......he kind of looks at you with them too and manages to get what he wants".

Richard smirks and wiggles an eyebrow "I do.....do I?" and he captures my lips and pulls me closer, holding my chin in his hand as we kiss, running his other hand through my hair. We slowly deepen the kiss and I climb into his lap, straddling his thighs and it soon turns into a passionate make out session. Hands roaming over each others bodies, fingers tugging at hair and hips moving against each other.

I moan when his warm hands roam under my top, touching my skin and we devour each other with our mouths, tongues tasting, sucking and licking. Tucking at his t-shirt, I yank it over his head, my palms running over his chest, feeling his hair under my fingers. His nipples are hard and I lean down to lick each, feeling his cock twitch against my core through the fabric of our jeans. 

"Mmmm...love...." and he grabs my behind, thrusting against me and he kisses my throat as I throw back my head. He moves his hands to the hem of my top and quickly lifts it off my head, tossing it over by his t-shirt. He runs his hands up my arms and looks at my lace covered breasts with appreciation. Bending his head, he licks the top of each orb and then the skin between before reaching behind me, undoing the clasp. The cold air hits my exposed skin and my nipples harden right away, making him groan before he closes his lips around one and suckle gently.

The sensations go straight to my core, making me throb and wetness pool. I grind against his hardness, moaning into his ear "Rich....I want you....".

We kiss again and he looks at me, his eyes dark blue, his pupils blown wide "I want you too, love......want to go upstairs?". 

I look at our tea service "no, here on the rug by the fire would be just fine, but we need to move a few things".

"I don't want it to be uncomfortable, Lauren....." and he turns a bit pink in the cheeks "and it might be messy".

Putting the cups, plates and the kettle back on the tray, I kiss him again, letting my lips linger on his "there is towel for that or you can just make me come and we can be done......" and I smirk.

He rolls his eyes and gets up after darting his tongue in my mouth again "very funny......I'll get a towel" and he runs out of the room. I moved the tray to the side and then just casually shed the rest of my clothing, enjoying the heat from the fireplace. I lay down on the soft rug and turn as he come back in, carrying a towel from the bathroom. He looks at me and smiles, he is only wearing his jeans, his hard erection bulging the front.

I feel myself throbbing and more wetness pools. I run my own hands over my body, squeezing each of my breasts and then slide a hand over my stomach, down to between my legs. Richard stands rooted to the ground, just staring, the towel limb in his hand. I lock eyes with him and give him a naughty grin before moving my fingers over my swollen clit and then between my folds "ohhhh yeah....feels so good.....I'm so wet".

He whimpers "stop, love.....ohhh god......that is so fucking hot" and he quickly undoes his jeans, kicking them off along with his underwear. His cock stands proudly, hard and so aroused, the head peaking out from the foreskin, looking almost purple. He closes his own fist around his shaft, sliding up and down a few times, sighing in pleasure as he pulls the foreskin all the way back, thumbing over his very tip. 

I watch him, mesmerized with the image of him touching himself and I sit up, reaching a hand out to him and he drops to his knees, crawling over me, pushing me back down and kissing me hard and demanding. I open my legs to him and moan into his mouth as he settles between my legs, hard, hot and pulsing. We kiss passionately for a few minutes, my hands roaming over his glorious back and down to his perfect behind. 

Richard is slowly thrusting his hips while caressing my breasts, looking at me, trying to read my pleasure. The wide head of his cock is sliding over my clit with every thrust and it feels so good and he goes a little faster, bringing me closer to orgasm. 

My entire body starts to tighten as a bow, but I want and need him closer. I grab at his hair and beg "please, Rich.....need you inside of me....".

He nods and slides very slowly over my entire mound one last time, kissing me again and then pulls back a little. I lift my hips and he finds my entrance, nudging his tip inside and I thrust up, meeting him as he penetrates me to the hilt. It never gets old, the feeling of pure pleasure as he fills me with his hardness, his balls hitting my skin as he starts to thrust again, slow at first and then going faster.

We are two, but united as one, our bodies moving against each other while we continue to try and keep eye contact, our tongues mimicking what our hips are doing, back and forth, in and out. I grab onto his back tighter and slide my hands down, grasping onto his butt cheeks, bringing him closer. He moves a hand down my side, while supporting his weight with his other hand on the floor next to me. He slides a hand up my thigh, lifting my rear a little bit, changing the angle. It allows him to go even deeper and his pubic bone rubs against my clit as he fucks me. 

It feels so good and we are both moaning and panting "harder, Rich......ohhhh......fuck it is good.......more, love....ohhhh close....". Very rarely does our love making end with simultaneous orgasms, but when it does, it is always special and very satisfying.

We move together and a few more hard thrusts and I am there, the damn breaks and I am flooded with pleasure as I contract around him, arching my back and moaning with my head thrown back "ohhhhh Rich....ohhhhh". He comes hard as I orgasm, pounding into me one last time and I feel his hot release as he pulses over and over, deep inside of me. He buries his head in my neck and grunts in utter orgasmic bliss "ohhh fuck yeah" as we ride the high together.

Clinging to each other, we slowly come down from the waves and waves of pleasure, our breathing slowly returning to normal or semi normal. We just stay close, holding each other and wanting this to last forever, He finally finds the energy to lift his head and we look into each others eyes and share a very tender kiss. It is slow and deep, filled with emotion. 

Richard rests his forehead against mine, our noses touching and he whispers huskily "I love you".

"I love you too, Rich" and I caress his face.

He just holds me for a while longer, our bodies intertwined and connected. Nothing needs to be said, we both know how the other feel and we will miss each other a lot while he is gone. I rubs his back, enjoying the feel of his naked skin under my fingers and the heat from his body. 

I kiss him again and he doesn't want to crush me with his weight, so he reaches for the towel "we should probably have put this under you, love" before he carefully slips from me and gently cleans up the mess. He lays back down and pulls me close, my head resting on his shoulder.

"Yeah, but you just kind of seemed to be in a hurry once your pants came off" and I smile at him.

He grins "well, seeing you pleasure yourself about did me in, so yeah, I was in a hurry".

We lay there for a while, just tenderly touching each other and kissing softly. It is like neither of us want it to end. We finally reluctantly get up and make our way upstairs to get ready for bed. Crawling into bed, we settle down, me on my side and he spoons me, draping a strong arm over me and nuzzles my neck. We soon drifts off to sleep, happy in each others arms.

 

The next morning:

I roll over, still half asleep when my alarm goes off and i blindly reach for it, shutting it off. I groan, sitting up in bed and rubbing my eyes. Richard stirs on his side and I feel his warm hand on my naked back and he sounds raspy "morning, love".

Turning to look at him, he is on his back, his eyes half open and his hair a glorious mess. I smile "morning" and I sigh "I wish we could just stay here all day".

He pulls me down on top of him, opening his arms and I settle on his chest while he runs his hands over my back and through my hair. He kisses me "me too.....but I have a press conference to go to and the premiere".

I caress his face "I know and before that, I need to make some breakfast and run the kiddos to school".

We kiss some more and he looks at me with so much love "I'll come with you, I have time before I have go......they are sending a car at 10".

"Okay, but you don't have to......".

"I want to, Lauren.....it will be almost 3 weeks before I get to do that again, take them to school".

"It will actually be longer than that, they will be out of school by the time you get back here".

He looks surprised "I guess so.....wow, the year is almost over".

"Don't talk to me about that....that means they are a year older....they grow up too fast" and I reluctantly get off him, standing up, after kissing him one last time "I'm gonna go cook breakfast, Katie said she will send them over at 7:30, which is like now".

Richard looks at me, muttering "hot damn.....don't think you parading around naked is a good thing for my blood pressure" and he throws the covers to the side, getting out of bed, sporting a rather impressive hard on.

"We don't have time for any hanky panky Mr. Armitage" and I reach out to caress him ever so softly "but it is really nice" and I walk off into the closet, trying to find some temporary clothes to put on.

"You wicked woman" and he chases after me, grabbing me from behind and pulling me into his embrace, kissing my neck.

I squeal "Rich...stop" and I try to wiggle free, but bend over giggling as he nuzzles my neck "that tickles....stop".

"MUM! RICH....we are home" and he gives me a sad look as Elliott and Emma's voices carries from downstairs, mumbling into my mouth "damn....".

I smile and return his kiss, before we both hurry and get dressed, going down to make breakfast and visit with the kids before we take them to school.

 

Later that day:

We are sitting in the car on the way to the premiere at Leicester Square. Richard is looking handsome in a tailored suit and he had stopped in his tracks, as he came in the closet a little earlier as I put on the dress and asked him to zip it up in the back. I think he likes it. My hair is pulled up and clipped in place with a sparkling peacock feather hairclip and I am wearing the earrings Richard gave me a while back.

He is holding my hand and we talk quietly, I can feel he is a bit jittery and nervous with excitement. I know this is a full circle moment for him, this is where his career began and to be able to bring this last movie here, it means so much to him. 

He had returned home a bit worn out from the press conference and then individual interviews he had given most of the morning, continuing into the afternoon. He had been a bit irritated that a few journalist had asked him about the incident yesterday with the paparazzi, it was all over the internet almost as soon as it had happened. He had also flatly refused to elaborate on his private life and he was a bit grumpy when he came home.

I look at him "just relax...enjoy this premiere and they are not going to ask you any more about who you are seeing etc. tonight, it will be all about the movie".

He kisses me "I know, Lauren and you are right.......I just need to let it go....".

We arrive and just looking outside it appears to be total chaos, lots and lots of people are lined up around the red carpet. Richard looks at me and sighs "here we go" and he kisses me one last time, whispering "I'll see you inside" and I nod.

The driver opens the door and Richard steps out, the roar from the crowd deafening, once they realize who has just arrived. He smiles and waves before giving me a hand, helping me out of the car. I step out and he makes sure my train to the dress is out before he closes the door. We stand together for a few seconds, letting the photographers snap a few pictures, before he squeezes my hand and is led away by Liz, his publicist. 

I turn to the cars behind us and Richard's parents, his brother, sister in law, his nephew and Elliott get out. We all walk over to the side and just watch as Richard makes his way down the red carpet, signing as many autographs as he can. We follow him down and I see his parents beam with pride as their son is greeted by adoring fans.

Elliott and Richard's nephew are eating it all up and Elliott turns to me and grins "this is so cool, Mum".

"I know.....enjoy every minute of it".

We get closer to the entrance and are lead into the theater and our seats by some Warner Bros. people. I nod to a few familiar faces from the dinner last night. We get situated and then i take the boys to the bathroom before the movie starts and they fill their pockets with treats from the table coming back in the theater. I grab a couple of water bottles. Richard and I just had afternoon tea and a sandwich before we showered and got ready for tonight. Well, we did make love in the shower, knowing it would be the last time before he leaves tomorrow. It was passionate and hot. We clung to each other after both reaching climax, my back still pressed against the shower wall and my legs wrapped tightly around him. We shared a few deep kisses and just murmured our feelings for one another, not wanting to let the moment end.

Some lucky fans have gotten tickets to the premiere too and they are entering along with invited guests and industry people. We make it back to our seats and I am about to sit down, when someone taps me on my shoulder. I turn around and a couple of young women are standing there, they are clearly Richard fans, dressed in Hobbit t-shirts with Thorin on them. I smile and one of them clears her throat "sorry, we don't want to bother you at all, but just wanted to say hi and that we are really sorry about the paparazzi chasing Richard and Emma and we think you guys are the most adorable couple ever".

"Thank you, that is really sweet of you both....what's your names?".

"Abigail and Kim".

I shake their hands "nice to meet you both and thank you for your kind words, it means a lot.....did you see Richard out there?".

They both beam and Kim speaks "yes, we were right there as we were waiting to get in here" and she holds up her copy of the Hobbit "he signed it".

I smile "I'm so glad" and then all attention goes to the front as the actors file in with Peter and Philippa. The girls wave and hurry back to their seats as we all applaud. Peter says a few words and then they all walk to their seats. Richard comes up and sits down next to me, carefully not to step or sit on my dress. He reaches for my hand as soon as the lights dim and leans over and gives me a soft kiss.

He holds my hands for the next 2 1/2 hours as we watch the movie and I grip it tight several times. I sniffles a bit when we watch Thorin takes his last breath and several people are clearing their throats and blowing their noses as the final credits roll. I lean over before the lights come on, kissing him and whispering "holy wow, love.....that was fantastic".

Elliott and Richard's nephew get out of their seats as soon as they can see, running over and hugging him, telling him how awesome they thought it was. Loud applauds fill the theater and the actors stand along with Peter, Fran and Philippa to receive the praise.

We finally are ready to file out and we all attend the after party put on by the studio. We don't stay too long, because Richard has an early flight tomorrow with Peter to head to Paris for press and another premiere. We get in the car with Elliott, Richard signing a few more autographs as we leave. As soon as we are dropped off at home, I get Elliott ready for bed while Richard drives over to retrieve Emma from Luke's parents home and we put her to bed. He packs the rest of his stuff and we finally fall into bed, exhausted from a long, but wonderful day.

 

The next morning:

We eat an early breakfast with two sleepy children and then the dreaded time has come. Richard is standing by the front door, his suitcase and carry on by his side and he hugs Elliott goodbye "take care of Mum for me, okay and be good" and Emma bursts into tears when he crouches down to hug her. She cries and clings to him for dear life and he just holds her, rocking her and kisses the top of her head "shhhh, pumpkin, please don't cry......I'll be home soon" She sobs louder and he looks up at me with sadness.

I look outside and see his car has arrived and he tries to get Emma to let go, but she just cries harder. I finally step in and we manage to transfer her from his arms to mine. Elliott wipes his eyes and hugs Richard again and Richard looks at me, pulls me and Emma into his arms and we meet in a soft kiss, his lips lingering and he says tenderly, as he touches my face "bye, love....I'll call you wen I get there" and he locks eyes with me "I love you, Lauren".

"I love you too, Rich......safe travels" and he kisses Emma's head "bye, pumpkin" and he takes his stuff and heads out the door. He glances one more time at us before he gets in the car and he is gone.

I manage to walk to the couch in the front room and sit down with Emma, she is still sobbing, but finally calms down, softly sniffling against my neck. I stroke her hair "it's okay, sweetie, he will be home soon and he will miss you as much".

She looks at me "my heart hurts....".

"I know....it does that sometimes when you love someone so much".

Emma nods and then finally gets off my lap, trotting off to play for a bit. Elliott comes back in "you alright, Mum?".

"Yeah, I'm fine....thanks for checking on me".

He smiles "good" and then he gets serious "Rich talked to me this morning and told me to look after you".

" He did, did he?".

"Yeah" and he plops down next to me and then looks at me "he loves you more than anything else in this world, Mum".

"How do you know that, Elliott?".

He rolls his eyes "duhhh......you'll have to be dumb not to see it, the way he looks at you when you are not watching..." and he hesitates for a moment "do..do you think you will ever marry him?".

"I don't know......" and I look back at him "would it be bad if I did?".

"No, not at all, it would be bloody brilliant......to get a new dad and it being Thorin" and he grins.

"Well, Rich is Rich.....he is not Thorin, but we will have to see, we haven't even talked about that at all".

"Would you marry him if he asked?".

I answer without hesitation "yes".

"Good" and he gets up and hugs me "because he is one of the good ones".

I laugh in agreement "yes, he is" and Elliott runs off to get ready for school, I agreed to let them get to school late today.

Sitting on the couch for a few minutes, my phone buzzes and it is from Richard "that was bloody awful to say goodbye, is she ok?"

I text him back "she is fine, ran off to play a minute ago, she will get over it".

"Good, because I was ready to not go......".

"She is fine and she needs to get use to it, this will hardly be the last time you have to leave for a while".

"True.....just wanted to make sure she is ok. Love you, I'll call you when we get to our hotel in Paris".

"Love you too, Rich.......XOXO".

 


	20. Chapter 20

A little over 2 weeks later:

I just dropped the kids off at school and rush to the grocery store to buy several items for baking today. I am making cookies to put in tins for our friends and neighbors for Christmas. I get what I need and drive back home and enter the house with my groceries. It is very quiet and I feel a dull ache, I miss Richard so much. It has been hard this last while with him being gone and the kids have been a lot more whiny than I thought they would be. We have Skyped as much as we could and talked on the phone, but I miss him just being around, waking up in the morning with him and going to bed at night.

The house is all decked out for Christmas, it is my favorite holiday and lighted garlands are around the doors and up the banister by the stairs. I did a lot of decorating after Richard left and I love being home and enjoying it all. We have pretty much closed shop at work until after the new year, so I am free to finish shopping and everything else before the big day arrives. The only thing we don't have is a Christmas tree, we agreed we would go get it with the kids after Richard gets home tomorrow. The tree will be in the living room that opens up from the kitchen, so we can enjoy it the most. All the ornaments and lights are sitting in boxes on the floor, ready to go.

I leave the butter out on the counter to soften and put the rest of the stuff away for now. I walk down the hall into my sewing/craft room, most presents are in here, wrapped and ready to be placed under the tree. I have one thing to do before the cookie making can begin. I find a wide spool of ribbon and a step stool and go over to the door leading into the office behind the family room. I peak in to make sure everything is perfect and then close the door and carefully tape the ribbon to the door, so it looks like a big wrapped gift. I attached the big gift tag to the door handle, reading "To:Rich From:Lauren with love".

Returning to the kitchen, I find the old recipes for several different varieties of cookies and mix a few batches of dough. I turn on the oven and then run upstairs for a quick shower. I step out, drying off and then just clip my hair up and go find a short sleeved lounge set, it is black trimmed in pink satin. My kitchen gets roasting with the oven going all day long. 

Back in the kitchen, I turn on the radio for some Christmas music and roll out cookies and line up cookie sheets on the counters. I pull out festive tins and place a piece of wax paper in each, setting them in rows on the dinner table. I cut ribbon to go around each tin with a tag "Happy Christmas! Love, Rich, Lauren, Elliott and Emma".

I glance at the clock, thinking about Richard and hoping he is getting some sleep or whatever he is doing. He has been all over the world and ended in New Zealand with the premiere of the last Hobbit movie. He is going to stay one more day and then come home to us, which I can't wait for. I missed him more than I thought I would, just the little things, sitting with him at the breakfast table in the morning, him reading the paper or waking up on the weekends in bed, cuddling together and hoping the kids will give us a few more minutes of peace. I love our after work routine we had fallen into, he would help the kids with homework while I fixed dinner and I could watch him for hours reading to Emma on the couch or talking to Elliott about something he was studying in school.

The oven beeps, letting me know it is ready, so I roll out cookie dough and start baking them in batches. I have a system and put them on the wire racks to cool as they come out of the oven. I also rolls out some bigger pieces and bake them for the gingerbread houses, a tradition from my childhood. The kids love it and it is always so much fun. 

I take out another sheet of cookies and slide one in the oven, when the front door opens and I look up in surprise as a very familiar voice carries "honey, I'm home". 

Quickly wiping my hands on a dish towel, I rush out in the hallway, finding Richard standing there, a bouquet of flowers in hand and a big grin "Rich! What are you doing? You were due tomorrow" and I run into his open arms, feeling him totally envelope me in a tight hug.

He nuzzles my neck "I took the red eye home, I just wanted to get home" and he holds me out, locking eyes with me and then we meet in a searing kiss. Our tongues wrap around each other and I feel his big hand up my back as we kiss. I missed him so much!

We finally pull apart and he smiles, his eyes bright blue, twinkling "I missed you, love".

"I missed you too, Rich" and I gesture at my current outfit "sorry......I'm in the middle of baking, the kitchen is hot...:

Smirking, he hands me the flowers as he takes off his Belstaff and hangs it on the coat rack "I don't care...I'm just bloody happy to be home" and he pulls me back in for another kiss, whispering in my ear "you could bake naked....".

"Very funny, Rich......and risk burning my breasts or other delicate parts......no thanks.....in your dreams".

He wiggles an eyebrow "I could kiss it better" and he captures my lips again as the timer goes off in the kitchen.

I pull away from him "I gotta take the cookies out or they will burn" and I walk back in the kitchen with the flowers, not seeing how he is staring at my behind in the shorts. He smiles and follows me in there. I put the flowers in a vase from under the sink and then reach in to remove the cookie sheet and slide in another one.

Richard inhales "mmmmmm.....it smells heavenly, love" and he wanders over to the pile of cold cookies as I slide the freshly baked ones onto the cooling rack. He pops one in his mouth and it crunches as he makes a happy face "damn that's good" and he takes another. 

Swatting at his hand "hey, they are for neighbor gift tins", I get pulled back into his arms and he kisses me again and I sigh happily against his warm chest.

"I know, just one more..." and he eats it before I can take it from him and he laughs, holding me and finally looks around "wow....it looks beautiful, darling.....it has been a long time since Christmas has been this festive for me" and he continues as I give him a surprised look "I was just never home much to do anything for decorating, last time I had a tree was years ago with one of my first failed attempts at a real relationship. My Mum would always go all out, so I got the feeling of Christmas when I went home".

"Ohh, she is still going all out, we went and saw them for afternoon tea and supper last Sunday, it was lovely".

"I know, Mum told me when I called and she was quite pleased" and he looks at me "she is very fond of you and told me so, she has never said anything like that about the other women I have dated, ever. She has always been nice and polite about them, but never told me to never let them go".

I lift an eyebrow "she said that?".

"Yeah, she did and told me it was damn time I settle down for good".

"Is it?" and I search out his eyes.

He leans against the counter and pulls me close, spreading his legs a bit, to make up for the height difference and gently holds my chin, looking into my eyes "I never thought I would say this, but it is....." and he takes a deep breath "but I also know it is just not my decision to make, because it will affect not only us, but Emma and Elliott".

"And?" and I touch his cheek, feeling the day old scruff under my palm.

"I don't know if they are ready, will they be okay with it, are they really ready to get a new dad and what about Luke's folks, I don't want to cause them any pain or upset the kids".

I kiss him "you are very thoughtful and I know what you are saying, but just know that Elliott asked me after you left, if I would marry you".

"He did?" and he looks surprised.

"Yes, he did" and I can see the question in Richard's eyes "and I told him I would if you asked" and I hold up a finger "but don't just ask me....please do it the old fashion way, ask my dad first and if you really want to score points, pay a visit to Luke's folks too, but I can tell you now, nothing would make them happier".

He beams and pulls me into his arms, kissing me silly "I can do that" and he looks at me with so much love "I love you, Lauren".

"I love you too, Rich" and we kiss again, this time letting our lips linger and he slowly deepens it a bit more. I wrap my arms around him and I open my mouth, letting my tongue slip into his wet mouth and soon we are devouring each other. His warm hands find their way under my thin shirt, palming my bare skin and I moan as our hips meet. My hands travel down his back and I grab his jean clad behind and pulls him flush, feeling his growing erection against my stomach. 

Richard tangles a hand in my hair, undoing the hairclip and tossing it on the counter. Our kissing is passionate and hot, the need to be close growing and the lust spiraling out of control.

BEEP       BEEP       BEEP

I pull away from him, but let out a deep moan as he continues to kiss my throat and neck, snaking a hand up over my stomach to my breast, growling in my ear as he cups my soft orb "I missed you and this so much...." and he grunts "damn.....no bra".

"It is just me home, the cookies don't care if I don't wear one....".

He nibbles on my ear and flicks his thumb over my nipple, making it hard and sends jolts of pleasure straight between my legs. He croaks "I certainly don't mind either" and he dives in for another deep kiss as I try to wiggle away "Rich, you gotta let me take the cookies out, don't want them to burn".

Reluctantly letting me go, he whines "fine, but bloody hurry back here......". 

I roll my eyes at him and then walk over to the oven, making sure to sway my hips and I hear him bite back a groan when I bend down to take the sheet out. I stick another sheet in and then quickly scoop the warm cookies over on the racks to cool. I hear and feel him walk up behind me, heat radiating from his body and he wraps his arms around me from behind, pulling me flush with him and I can't help but let out a moan when I feel his erection through the fabric of his jeans. He rubs himself against my behind and whispers huskily in my ear "how long until the next batch is done?".

Leaning back against him, I moan "12 minutes".

He turns me around and we lock eyes for a second "I don't think it will take that long this time.....I promise I will make sweet love to you tonight".

We meet in a deep kiss and he grasps my sides, lifting me up and I just automatically wrap my legs around him as we continue to exchange wet kisses. He walks the few steps over to the lower kitchen counter on the end of the bar, setting me down and I yank his t-shirt off right away, running my hands over his broad chest. My fingers glide through his coarse chest hair and I lean forward and lick his nipples, making him groan. His fingers find the hem of my top, pulling it over my head in one fluid motion, tossing the garment on the floor next to his shirt.

He looks at me with lust filled eyes as my breasts spill out and he cups each in his hands, softly massaging them and then he leans down and places a nipple in his mouth, gently sucking on it and making me throb even more between my legs. I throw my head back "ohhh, Rich....more....please....".

I move my hands over his naked torso, down over his stomach and to his waist, quickly unbuttoning his jeans and I snake a hand down his underwear, wrapping my fingers around his rock hard erection. He kisses me with passion and pushes into my hand, throbbing under my touch "ohhh baby....please.....ohhh, more".

Stroking him a few more times, I push his pants and underwear down with my other hand and caress his rear, while tightening my grip on his pulsing manhood. I missed how he feels, smells and tastes when he is aroused. 

His hands are busy too, touching every inch of my exposed skin and then moving to my shorts, pulling them down as I lift my behind, so he can take them all the way off along with my panties. They get tossed on the floor and he has a hand between my legs the next second, his long fingers moving into my warm wetness and I whimper as he touches my sensitive flesh "ughh.....please" and that turns into a deep moan when he finds my clit with his thumb and starts to rub in circles, setting a steady rhythm "ohhhh fuck.....just like that....ohhh".

I hold on to his shoulder and arm for some leverage and he kisses my neck before we meet in a deep kiss, our tongues wrapping around each other. He continues to stimulate me and looks at me, my legs spread wide, my cheeks flushed and my head back and my eyes closed. He groans "fuck you are beautiful like this, love....." and I moan again, pushing my hips against his hand, needing more friction. He rotates his hand a bit and I feel two of his long fingers slide inside of me, caressing my slicks walls and he picks up the pace a bit, watching me closely, panting with arousal "close?".

All I can do is nod and he keeps finger fucking me until he senses I am on the very edge, then he quickly stops and my eyes fly open to protest, but they almost roll back in my head when I feel his thick head at my entrance and he penetrates me to the hilt, making us both moan in deep pleasure. It feels so good to have his big cock deep inside of me and he latches onto my mouth as he grips my behind and starts to pound into me hard. 

I grab his shoulder with one hand and have a firm grasp on his rear with my other hand, my fingers digging into his flesh as he fucks me with everything he has and I am muffling my sounds of pure pleasure against his shoulder "ohhhh, harder, Rich.....ohhh yeah....right there........ohhh god you feel good".

His hot breath is against my hear "fuck I missed you, baby and this......so tight and wet......ohhhh.....come for me....I want to feel you come around my cock".

I concentrate on how his cock feels sliding in and out of me and he pulls me closer, changing the angle a little, going a bit slower, doing his best to rub his pubic bone against my clit. The tension is building and a couple of more thrusts and I fly over the edge, my inner walls gripping and contracting around his shaft as my orgasm hit. I bite his shoulder "ooohhhhhhhh god, Rich........ohhhhh".

My climax spurs on his and he thrusts deep and hard two more times and then comes with a shout "fuck yeah.....ohhhhhh", pulsing his hot release deep inside of me, over and over. We cling to each other, both panting and sweating, I can feel his heart pounding in his chest as we both try and come down from the high. 

We just hold each other and I caress his back and he runs his hand through my hair and softly kisses my shoulder and gently touches my face. We lock eyes and he gives me a wicked grin before we exchange a tender kiss. 

I whisper "welcome home".

He hugs me tight and lets out a deep breath "thank you, I'm glad to be home.....", he chuckles and grins "shit that was good",

"Mmmmm, I know..." and I lean my head on his shoulder. I glance over his shoulder at the timer "one more minute" and I pull a little away from him as he reaches for a clean kitchen towel in the drawer, very carefully pulling out and cleaning us both up in the process. He looks ridiculous, his jeans and underwear just shoved down on his thighs, he is shirtless, but still wearing his socks and shoes. I can't help but smile "now there is a tabloid picture for the ages".

He playfully swats my behind and steals another kiss "very funny..." and he embraces me, pausing to look at me with so much love "I love you, Lauren".

Reaches up, I touch his cheek "I love you too" and he gives me a hand, helping me off the counter and I throw on my clothes just in time to take out the cookies and putting in the last batch.

Richard puts his t-shirt back on and pulls up his underwear and pants, going to the laundry with the dirty towel and coming back in the kitchen, hugging me from behind, nuzzling my neck "god I missed you".

I turn my head to kiss him "I missed you too and the kids will freak out from excitement".

"We can go get them together and then maybe get the tree?".

"They would love that".

When the cookies are done, we help each other box them up in the tins and put the remainder in our cookie jar for our enjoyment. I take a quick shower while Richard unpacks his suitcase and starts a load of laundry.

We drive together to get the kids, Emma squeals loudly when she sees him standing outside the car and about trips over her own feet running to him. He picks her up and hugs her tight and I can see the delight on both their faces, they sure missed each other. Elliott breaks into a big grin and runs over to hug him too and he beams when Richard ruffles his hair while saying "I think you grew while I was gone".

We take them out for a treat after school and then find a tree lot to buy our Christmas tree at. It gets tied to the top of my car and we make it home, get it set up in the house and we all help each other decorate it, after we string the lights on it. It is a festive mix of some of the ornaments the kids have made over the years, some of my heirloom ones given to me by my parents and from my childhood and then some of Richard's. He had found the box in the attic in his house and told me he had not used them for a very long time, some were his grandmothers and other he had made as a child, his mom had enough sense to save them.

We step back and admire our handiwork and I look at the kids "should we give Richard his present now?".

Elliott nods and Emma looks very excited "yes, can we please....?".

I look at him "we have to give this to you early or you will start to wonder" and I hold out my hand "come with me".

He takes my hand and Emma yanks on his other hand and he looks a little uncomfortable "you didn't have to get me anything.....".

We make it to the door to the room behind the family room and I point "this is for you, I hope you like it and I did it right.....and the kids helped too, so Merry Christmas, Rich".

He looks at the gift tag and then at us "well, thank you" and he slowly opens the door, revealing what is his new office/library. I had someone come built bookshelves all along the biggest wall, in the most gorgeous wood. His grandmother's desk is sitting over by the window and his favorite chair from his house and a comfortable dark brown leather couch is placed facing the shared fireplace with the family room. I moved most of his books and arranged them like he had them at his house. The space is functional and beautiful and masculine.

Richard steps inside and turns to look at me, pure delight in his eyes "you got to be joking".

I smile "you like?".

He pulls me into his arms and kisses me "I love it, it is perfect......thank you so, so much" and he lets go to crouch down to hug the kids "thank you....it is awesome".

I have a hand on his shoulder as he hugs the kids "they helped put books up and they helped find the perfect couch".

He walks around, touching everything and looks at his books and then at me again "it is wonderful.....I can't believe you did that for me".

"Well, this is as much your house at this point and it would make it seem more like yours if you had your space and your stuff, so here you go".

There is no doubt he loves it and as we sit in there after the kids are in bed, snuggled on the couch with our tea, he looks around again and sighs in contentment "this is so bloody perfect......thank you, love".

I am leaned against his chest and I snuggle my head against him "your welcome, Rich....so happy you like it".

"I love it" and he thinks for a minute "maybe now I should just sell my house.......it is not like I am ever there anymore, it is more like a very expensive storage unit".

I turn to look at him "you sure? I don't want you to feel you have to".

"Oh I don't......but I have thought about it for a while and maybe now is good. Most of my important stuff is here anyway, it is really just meaningless furniture that is left over there, now you moved all my damn books",

"If you are sure" and I touch his thigh and he grasps my hand, lacing our fingers together, kissing the top of my head "I'm sure......I'll look into it after we get back from skiing for new years".

We sit there for a while longer, him eating a steady streams of cookies from the tin until he hand them to me "please take the bloody thing away from me or I'll eat them all....".

I laugh and put the lid on it and kiss him "want to go to bed?".

"That sounds like a plan" and we carry our stuff to the kitchen and proceed to get read for bed.

He collapses on top of me a little while later, after making love to me at a slower pace than earlier. It feels deeper and we finally embrace, both satisfied and happy to be back in each others arms. We snuggle together and he pulls me next to him, spooning me and we soon drift off to sleep, finding peace in being reunited again.

 

A couple of days later:

I'm upstairs getting ready and I hear the door open downstairs and the happy chatter of the kids. Heavy footsteps tell me Richard is coming upstairs, taking two steps at a time, which makes me smile, Luke use to do that too. He comes in the bathroom and our eyes meet in the mirror and he gives me a wicked grin as he eyes roam over my body "damn..." and he whistles, I'm just dressed in my underwear.

I roll my eyes and fix my hair "you horny bastard" and I turn my attention to my face, quickly applying mascara and some lip gloss. I squeal when Richard grabs me from behind, his ice cold hands touching my warm skin "RICH! ARGHHHHH, that's cold".

He kisses my neck, his cold nose nuzzling my neck "well, it is freezing out there, love and yes, I am horny as fuck after not seeing you for almost 3 weeks".

"We have been humping like rabbits since you got home" and I turn my head to kiss him, mumbling into his mouth "twice yesterday and a quickie this morning".

Wiggling an eyebrow, he grins "I'm not complaining".

I slap his butt "well, neither am I" and I give him a serious look "got all the cookies delivered?".

"Yes, it helps when you can just pull the cart and send the kids to the doors, but all the neighborhood treats have been handed out......Krista said we could just have brought them over when we come in a little bit".

"I know, but I thought the kids would like to make a stop there at Claire and Martin's as you made the rounds" and I walk out and into the closet, looking for something to wear. We are going to our neighbors for a little Holiday gathering, our kids are very close and Richard has been welcomed warmly by the Perry's too. I know it is not his favorite thing to do since there will be other people we don't know there too, but they are good friends of ours and we want to support them.

Richard comes in the closet as I pull on my jeans and a red cashmere sweater. I put on my cowboy boots and then open my jewelry box, but he walks over and closes the drawer, handing me a black box "why don't you wear these?".

I look at him "it is not Christmas yet".

"I know, but I picked them up from the jeweler yesterday and I really want you to have them now".

The box is pressed into my hand and I recognize where it is from and I flip the lid open, gasping when a perfect pair of earrings are revealed: they are small oval rubies with tiny white diamonds around them, set in white gold. "Oh Rich...they are beautiful....thank you, love" and I reach out to kiss him.

"Your welcome.....I took pictures of everything you have in your jewelry box to make sure you didn't have anything like them".

"They are gorgeous and no, I don't have anything like that" and I put them on, they look so pretty with my sweater and dark hair.

He wraps me in his arms " you are gorgeous, my love" and we kiss again.

We get the kids and make the short walk a few houses down to Krista and Neil's house. The kids run off with Martin and Claire as soon as we get there, happy to be with friends. We say hello to the rest of the party, just some friends and neighbors from the area. I know most everyone, but we are introduced to some new next door neighbors of theirs, the Green's, Paul and Amanda and they have 2 girls around Emma's age. 

Paul's eyes pop out when Neil introduces Richard "Richard Armitage! Pleasure, didn't think we had a celeb living among us".

Richard blushes and Neil adds "well, he is just Rich to us, no reason to make a big fuss".

Paul gives me the creeps as soon as he takes my hand and he holds it a bit too long "such a pleasure, Lauren.......I was wondering who the gorgeous brunette was, I have seen you come over quite a bit".

I try to smile "well, Krista and I have been friends for a long time".

"Well, Rich is a lucky bloke" and he wiggle his eyebrow at me. I catch Richard looking over his shoulder, slightly annoyed and alarmed. I stammer another polite phrase before steering around Paul, grabbing Richard's arm and walking towards the h'dourves, set up at the table.

I whisper in his ear "now, be nice.....I think he is a creeper too, but relax".

He hisses back "he was basically undressing you as he was petting your hand, Lauren....it was disgusting and it pisses me off" and he gives me a devilish grin "only I am allowed to look at you like that".

I laugh and kiss him lightly as he puts an arm around my waist.

We enjoy the rest of the party, trying to steer clear of Paul, which is hard, since he seems to trail behind us. Richard never leaves my side, his hand firmly intertwined with mine most of the time as we visit with our other friends.

"Ohhhhhhhhhh Fuck Yes!" he groans against my ear, holding me close as he shoots his hot release deep inside me. He is plastered to my back and I am secretly praying the kids are sound asleep and haven't heard a word of our loud lovemaking after we got home from the party. He hits the right spot as he climaxes and I let out a deep moan of pleasure as I come, milking him dry as I spasm around him in utter bliss "ohhhh god, Rich....ohhhhh".

I collapse my arms and he pulls me with him as he lays down on his side, still spooning me and buried inside. He lets out a deep breath, kissing my neck "fuck that was good......you might be the death of me...".

My eyes are still closed and I sigh in contentment "mmmm......I second that....." and I tilt my head a bit to kiss him on the lips "I hope the kids are asleep or we might have traumatized them for life with all the moaning and swearing".

"I know, love....lets hope so".

He keeps holding me and we just relish being in each others arms. He finally slips from me, but we are too tired to care and soon fall asleep.

 

The next evening:

It is Christmas eve and we are cleaning up after the night's festivities. We had Richard's parents, brother, sister in law and nephew over for dinner along with Luke's parents. It was a traditional British Christmas dinner and we had a nice time with everyone. Everyone got a long great and now we are just cleaning up, loading the dishwasher and the kids are in bed, trying to sleep before Santa comes in the morning.

I am rinsing dishes as Richard brings them over from the table. He kisses me "that was lovely, Lauren....thank you, I think my parents enjoyed themselves.......they told me before they were nervous, thought it was odd to be invited with Luke's folks".

"I get that, but I think they had a good time too".

KNOCK   KNOCK

We look at each other and the clock, it is almost 11 pm. Richard motions "I'll get it" and he walks out to the door and I hear him "Krista, Neil" What's the matter? Come on in".

I wipe my hands in the dish towel and turn as they come into the kitchen, followed by Richard. Krista has a tight grip on Neil's hand and she is already in tears as she looks at us both "oh god, I'm so sorry....I know it is late and Christmas, but we had no idea he did that......I don't know what to say.......so sorry".

Richard and I look at her in confusion and I reach out to hug her "what on earth are you talking about? And don't worry about the time, you know our door is always open".

She hugs me and then looks at Neil who sighs and starts to speak "I gather you haven't been online tonight have you?".

We both shake our heads and Richard speaks "no, we had company, haven't been on since this morning".

Neil takes a deep breath "well, someone snapped cell phone pictures of the two of you at our party and got them to a tabloid today, they are all over and there are one of Emma too".

Richard mutters "fuck".

Neil nods "yeah, no shit! We are pretty sure it was Paul and I already addressed it with him in no uncertain terms this evening and he didn't deny it. But we a awfully sorry, if we had known.....".

Krista sniffles and I wave a hand "it is not your bloody fault, don't sweat it........things happen and you had no way of knowing, but thanks for telling us".

She looks at us "so sorry".

Richard hugs her and reaches out to Neil "don't worry, it is not your fault, some people will do anything for attention and maybe some cash, now we know and we can take it from here".

We embrace and they had back home to their sleeping children.

I look at Richard as he goes to grab his iPad "well, that is not good".

"No it isn't, but I guess it was bound to happen at some point" and he scrolls "it could be worse, it is just us and the one with Emma on my arm is so blurry".

I come over so he can show me and sure enough, there are the creeper pictures, plastered all over with the headline "Hobbit star off the market? Richard Armitage has found love with a single mom with two kids, they were seen cuddling together at a recent neighborhood party. They only had eyes for each other one of the other guest tells us" and there are several pictures of us at the party, us hand in hand talking to others, one with Richard and Emma, her arms wrapped around his neck as he holds her and one I actually like, the clearest one, I am talking to someone else and Richard is just looking at me, totally mesmerized. 

Sighing, I look at him "you are right, it could be worse".

We finish cleaning up and make sure everything is ready for Christmas morning before we crawl exhausted into bed. Richard is out almost right away, jet lag is still kicking his butt. He is breathing evenly and I lay there, just checking my phone one last time and I sit up when I realize Richard posted a Christmas message on Twitter earlier today:

"Well what a year this has been for me. I wrapped the Hobbit and it was bitter sweet to realize my time in Middle Earth had actually come to an end. I returned home to pick up on an old project, finding myself wearing a top hat and cravat again, retracing my steps as John Thornton, something I wasn't sure was a good idea. Fate is a funny thing, because it turned out to maybe be the best thing that I ever did. My professional life has been very gratifying this year and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continued support and enthusiasm for my work. It means a lot.

I know I hardly ever get personal, my private life is private and I prefer to keep it that way, but allow me to say a few things. I found love I never knew existed this year, I found an incredible person that loves me for who I am and for some odd reason puts up with my many faults and shortcomings. She has changed my life for the better. I never really understood the love between a parent and a child. I knew it was a special bond, but not until this year, thanks to two wonderful kids, did I understand what that really meant. No, they are not my flesh and blood, but I love them like they are. Blood is thicker than water, but love is thicker than blood.

May we all think about others and how we can use our lives to improve that of those around us. Happy Christmas to you all, I am deeply grateful for all I have, for family and friends, they are everything to me! Love, luck and generosity in the new year! RA".

I am deeply moved and wipe a tear and lean down to kiss him softly on the cheek. I put my phone on the nightstand and snuggle next to him. He mumbles and wraps his arm around my torso and I settle close to him, falling asleep, feeling his warm skin next to mine.

 


	21. Chapter 21

The next morning:

"MUM! RICH! Wake up, it is Christmas morning! Happy Christmas!".

The kids' happy voices enter my sleepy brain and I hear Richard groan next to me and mumble "it is too bloody early". He rolls over, spooning me and wraps a strong arm around me and nuzzles my neck.

I giggle when his scruff tickles me and I intertwine my hand with his "not when you have kids....they will burst in here in 3,2,1" and sure enough the door flies open and they jump on the bed. He grips me tighter and I pray the sheets and comforter will stay in place, since I am just wearing a skimpy pair of panties and Richard is naked, he hates to wear anything to bed.

Emma bounces on the bed and Elliott crawls on there too, sitting more or less on my legs. I prop myself up a bit and look at them "morning and Happy Christmas".

"Happy Christmas, Mum" and she flings herself almost on top of me "can we open presents? Please, like now......Santa came, we already checked.....please get up".

Richard stirs and sits up in bed, causing Emma to giggle loudly and Elliott grins at him "Happy Christmas, Rich.....nice hair".

I look at him and smile, it is a glorious mess since he let it grow out a bit. He tries to flatten it out, but fails and he just shrugs "Happy Christmas, Elliott" and he looks at Emma "and to you too, pumpkin". She squeals, launching herself into his lap. He catches her and winces when she puts her knee right on top of the crown jewels. "OUCH!" and he moves her to the side and she looks at him confused "what happened?". His voice is still a bit strained as he fights the urge to swear loudly, his lower region screaming in pain, he says through gritted teeth "nothing, you just stepped on me".

She looks sad and hugs him "I'm sorry".

"It's ok, pumpkin, I know you didn't mean to".

"Where did I step on you, can I see?".

His eyes go big "NO! I'm fine....don't worry about it".

I stifle a laugh and Elliott grins at his sister "he wont show you, you stepped right on his privates".

Emma puts her hand over her mouth "ohhhh".

"It's fine" and Richard shoots me a murderous look when I hide my chuckle behind my hand.

I try to look more sympathetic and sit up, dragging the sheets with me, to cover my chest "alright, why don't you go down, turn on the gas fireplace and the lights on the Christmas tree, Mum and Rich will be right down and then we can open presents?".

"YAY!" and they run out of our room. I get up and quickly close and lock the door. Turning around, I let out a snort when I see Richard, he has pulled the sheets aside and is looking very carefully over his crotch. I sound amused "anything damaged?".

"No, I think it is ok, she just kind of kneed me, it hurt like hell" and he looks at me a bit offended "are you making fun? Easy for you to say, you didn't just about loose your dick".

Rolling my eyes, I walk back over to the bed and kneel in front of him, pushing his legs slightly apart. I run my hands over his knees and lean close to his crotch, moving my hands over his thighs "I think you are being a bit over dramatic....I think everything is fine" and I feel his thigh muscles tense up as I slide my fingers up. He tightens his abs and croaks "wh...what are you doing" and it turns into a moan as I gently touch him, tickling his sack and touching his shaft, He hardens rapidly under my fingers and he groans when I move my head down, kissing the very tip, easing the foreskin back with my tongue.

"Lauren.....I.....ohhh fuck.....ohhh" and he almost sobs when my wet tongue makes contact with his swollen head. He jerks his hips and twitches as I rasp fast over his engorged tip and then open my mouth to swallow him down. His hand is in my hair and the other is fisting the sheets.

He is fighting the urge to move his hips, slightly protesting "I.....ohhh.......the kids....Christm....ughhh" and the rest goes out the window as I suck him harder and wrap my hand around the base of his cock, pumping in rhythm with my mouth. He throws his head back and moans deeply as I make sure to swirl my tongue around his sensitive head and right under the ridge. 

I can tell he is fast approaching orgasm, his thighs tense up and he goes even more rigid in my mouth. I lick fast over the indent right below the head of his cock and then stick the tip of my tongue in the slit, lapping up all the pre cum. He grabs my hair, panting wildly, giving me a slight tug as a warning, but I just close my lips tightly around him and pick up the speed a little. He groans and then swells in my mouth when he comes hard, his warm release hitting my tongue and I swallow it all down.

"Ohhhh fuck........ohhhhhh" and he caresses my shoulder as I continue to stimulate him through his climax, bringing him as much pleasure as possible.

He lets out a breath as I slowly pull off him, wiping the corner of my mouth. He yanks me up, into his arms and a very sloppy kiss. His eyes are still a bit hazy as he looks at me, saying softly "bloody hell, Lauren.....".

I grin "Happy Christmas, love...".

Resting his forehead against mine, his breathing slowly returning to normal "it really is indeed and I will repay you later today, I promise, but we better not keep them waiting much longer".

I chuckle "I agree and I figure this wouldn't take long, so......" and I stand up, reaching out a hand so he can get up too.

"You are bad, love.....but you were right, your mouth on me always makes me come fast" and he pulls me into his arms, kissing me again.

"MUM! RICH! Hurry up".

We both sigh and pull apart, quickly throwing on some lounge wear and head downstairs, hand in hand.

The lights are on the tree and Elliott turned on the gas fire place.

They are both sitting on the floor by the tree and Emma looks at us "what took you so long? We need to open presents now!" and she zeroes in on Richard "why are you all red in the face?".

"No reason, pumpkin.....just a bit tired" and he winks at me, when I give him an amused look, he still has that post orgasmic blush down his neck, but it suits him, he looks very relaxed and happy.

I hurry and start the coffee maker and put the breakfast casserole in the oven before we sit down on the couch, holding hands. Elliott rolls his eyes "you guys need to not touch each other all the time, it is disgusting".

"You don't want us to do this?" and I kiss Richard on the mouth, both kids exclaiming "yuck, stop! Presents, please....MUM!"

We both laugh, but then we get down to business. We each get our stocking first, filled with candy and practical items such as socks, soap etc. I always include a Christmas ornament in their stocking, so they will have a collection when they are grown up. This year we found a sparkling top hat glass ornament and it is boxed and carefully placed in their stockings. We bought one for our tree too.

Richard's stocking is filled with oranges, his favorite chocolate and shaving creme and some funky socks. He kisses me "thank you, darling, it is all lovely".

I pull out my stuff, my favorite candy from the kids, hand lotion and a very pink nail polish from Emma and at the bottom a very skimpy pair of black and red lace panties. I crook an eyebrow at Richard when I pull them out and he just grins. The kids are too busy looking at their own stocking, so he leans over, whispering in my ear "maybe you can model them later for me?".

"I think that can be arranged" and we kiss again.

The real presents are stacked under the tree and the kids dig in. We each take a turn to open a present, so everyone can see what the others get. Elliott gets a real copy of the map from the Hobbit from Richard, which he is so delighted about and a huge Lego set from us both. Books, a pair of fancy sneakers like Richard's and some clothes.

Emma got the doll house from Richard earlier, so he bought her a pair of earrings from NZ as his other present. I went a little crazy and bought lots of dolls and stuff for the barbie house and she gets some shoes and clothes too.

The kids have each picked a gift for Richard. He gets a very pink tie and handkerchief from Emma and Elliott found a leather diary for him and we had his initials embossed on the outside. I give him a grey jumper and a pair of sneakers I know he wanted. He unwraps it all and looks at me "you already did my office, so you didn't need to get me anything else, love".

"I know, but it is only Christmas once a year, Rich".

I get perfume from Elliott and a bright, pink scarf from Emma plus some books and a new pair of fabric scissors. 

Richard gets up, handing me a fancy looking box "this is my real present, I honestly didn't know what to buy you, so I came up with this".

Carefully untying the bow on the box, I open it and find a a fabric bound book inside. I reach for it and feel the rich textile under my fingers "nice".

He is watching me intensely "Ellen actually found the fabric for me and told me where to go get it bound......open it, please".

Turning the first page, there is a note in his beautiful handwriting:

_Dear Lauren,_

_How do I love thee.......let me count the ways....._

_I hope this will show you just a glimpse on how much_

_I love you and how much you mean to me!_

_Love Always,_

_Rich_

I turn over the page and he continues. My eyes well up with tears as I read :

"I remember the first time I saw you at BBC, when we were introduced to the costume team for N&S. I felt I had been hit in the gut as soon as I saw you and I just remember thinking, that I really wanted to get to know you. There was something about the way you carried yourself, I needed to know what made you different. I watched you the rest of the time that day and went home, not knowing what to do with myself because I could not stop thinking about you. I learned your story slowly from others, which just made you more attractive to me. And then we started talking and I was just taken by you and how you exist in this world and found myself falling in love with you quickly, my brain telling me to slow down, but my heart gaining the upper hand. I'm glad it did.....you have brought so much happiness and love into my life along with those two precious kids. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for being allowed to be part of their lives and yours. I love you in more ways than you will ever know, Lauren, but here are just a few:

I love your smile, how you can light up a room when you laugh and how your eyes twinkle when you are really happy.

I love your creativeness and how your scrunch your nose when you are cutting fabric or sewing something hard.

I love your heart, how you are always open to others and care about them.

I love how you have embraced my parents and my family, they love you more than I think they love me sometimes.

I love your strength, I can't imagine going through the things you have faced and still be kind, loving and hopeful.

I love you as a mom, how your entire face lights up when you talk about Emma and Elliott, how you always put them first and teach them and guide them through life.

I love how you look when we make love, how you wrap your body around mine and we are almost one. 

I love how you love me, how you allow me to be me and give me space when I need it. 

I love how you bring out the best in me, how you have changed me for the better and shown me what it means to truly love someone.

I love how calm you have been with my choice of career and how that affect your life, how you have always kept cool and been a voice of reasoning when I about lost it..

I love how peaceful you look when you are sleeping in my arms or how you look in the morning, sitting across the table from me, your hair a mess and your eyes still a bit sleepy".

It goes on and on, page after page, short little notes and longer ones about little memories from our time together. It is so moving and touching and I just cry. The kids look worried and Emma comes up, crawling onto the couch and my lap "are you ok, Mum? Why are you crying? Are you sad?".

Sniffling, I smile at her and wipe a tear "no, no, I'm not sad, sweetie, I'm just very happy and touched" and I show her the book "Rich took the time to write all these beautiful things about me and it made me feel so loved and happy".

"Of course he did" and she beams at him "because he loves you more than chocolate ice creme".

I laugh "he does?".

"Yep, he told me once" and she gets down and goes back to her toys.

I look at Richard and lean over, kissing him deeply and touching his chin "thank you seems so shallow.......but thank you" and I lock eyes with him "this was so thoughtful, sweet and the best gift ever".

His eyes are a bit misty too and he doesn't hide it, whispering "your welcome, love.....I mean every word" and he kisses my forehead and we just sit on the couch for a while, enjoying the happiness on this morning and what we have shared.

The oven beeps and we sit down for the breakfast casserole and enjoy each others company, the kids are silly and laughing a lot and Richard keeps giving me happy grins. We help each other clean up after and the kids return to their toys. 

We slowly put our stuff away, Richard comes in my office as I put the fabric scissors on my table, hugs me from behind and nuzzles my neck "Happy Christmas, love......this has been one of the best Christmas' ever for me".

I grip his hands and turn my head to kiss him "for me too, Rich......it was wonderful".

"I hope you liked your present.....I hope it wasn't too cheesy".

Turning to look at him "Rich, any woman would love to get a love letter like that.....it makes us feel loved and wanted".

"Well, you are....very much" and he leans in to place a tender kiss on my lips.

When we break, I hesitate for a moment before going to my closet and opening it, reaching in a box and handing a worn diary to him "I haven't shown you this, because I frankly didn't know how you would feel about it.......but when you gave me the book today, it almost felt like a full circle moment........Luke gave me this our first Christmas together".

Richard takes it and looks through it, seeing similar entries as the ones he wrote me "you gotta be joking......bloody hell......wow".

"I know......" and I hug him tight and we just hold each other for a while.

"MUM! MUM! RICH".

He sighs, resting his forehead against mine, our noses touching "I love you".

"I love you too, Rich" and we turn our attention to Emma that comes running in "Mum.....can we go down to Martin and Claire's and wish them Happy Christmas and see what they got?".

"I don't know, sweetie......I need to text Krista and see if that is ok......I don't know where my phone is".

"Right here, Mum" and Elliott brings it in and I text her quickly as we walk back in the family room. She texts back and I look at the kids "yes, she says that will be fine, but they actually want to come down here first to see what you guys got and then you can go down there".

Elliott pumps his fist "awesome" and they run up to get dressed and soon their friends are here. They check out the loot and then make their way down to their house.

We are leaving tomorrow to go skiing in Austria, so I make my way upstairs to start packing our suitcases and finish laundry. Richard is reading in the library for a bit, he has enjoyed being home and looking at a few potential projects for the new year. I find our skiing clothes and get a great deal packed before wandering back downstairs. I go check in the library and just stop in the doorway, Richard is asleep on the couch, his book in his lap and his head leaned back, he is snoring lightly. 

I smile and go over, there, sitting down next to him and putting his book on the table. I lean closer and kiss his ear and touch his arm "Rich, love....it is late afternoon, want to keep sleeping?".

"Hmf....what?" and he opens his eyes, looking a bit dazed.

Snuggling up to him on the couch, he pulls me closer with his arm and I kiss his cheek "you were snoozing....want to nap longer?".

Rubbing his face and the scruff, he groans "no.....thanks for waking me up....we need to pack, don't we?".

"I did most of it, but I can't find your ski pants and jacket".

"In the trunk of my car, I grabbed them from my house the other day I stopped over".

"Okay....then we just have toiletries and a few other items".

"You are amazing.....thank you" and he kisses me, letting his lips linger a bit longer and he gives me a naughty grin "are the kids still gone?".

"Yep, still down at Martin and Claire's " and I lightly elbow him "you horny bastard....I already blew you this morning....".

He grins "and it was amazing" and he nibbles on my ear "and I still owe you" and he licks the outside of my ear, making me shiver "and you said you would model those panties for me".

"I did, did I?".

"Uhu..." and he smirks.

I get up and hold out my hand "come on big boy...what are you waiting for?".

"What?".

"I'm not going to model them down here, the kids could come home.......but if you want to keep sitting on the couch, I can entertain myself....I have toys" and I walk out of there, swaying my hips extra wide.

"Like hell you will" and he follows after me and I speed up, running up the stairs, laughing and hearing him come after me "I'm gonna catch you".

I squeal when he catches up to me right outside our bedroom and he grabs my waist, lifting me up and makes it in the room, tossing me on the bed. He shuts the door, locking it and turns to me, looking like a predator. I let out a laugh when he pounces and we end up in a tangled mess of arms and legs. He pins me down and kisses me, grinning "I got you" and then the mood changes and he leans back in and gives me a passionate kiss, his tongue chasing mine.

Tangling my hand in his hair, I moan and run my other hand down his back, cupping his behind and he grinds his hips against me. He groans as he rubs against me, his hard erection bulging in the front of his sweat pants and my wetness is soaking my thin panties and pajama pants.

He looks at me with lust "forget about the modeling, I'm going to pay you back from this morning" and he pushes a hand under my shirt, caressing my breast. I tug at his hair and then squirm as he kisses down my body, lifting up my shirt to suck on my nipple before licking his way down my stomach. He hooks his fingers under the hem of my pants and pulls them down along with my panties. He shimmers down and kneels between my legs and I just spread them for him, he licks his lips when he sees how wet I am.

We lock eyes and I clench in anticipation and see him twitch in his pants. He lowers himself and kisses my hip bones and then over my mound, before placing a direct kiss to my swollen clit. I moan "ohhh, Rich...please" and I sigh in contentment when he lays down and goes to work with his tongue. He knows exactly what to do, alternating between licking soft and hard, fast and slow over my sensitive flesh. I throb against his tongue and he hums and mumbles "so fucking hot and wet".

He knows me so well by now and exactly what drives me crazy, so he quickly gets me to the brink of orgasm. I tug on his hair, moaning and pleading "ohhh...Rich...I want your cock...please...ohhhh".

Licking me again, he sits up quickly and I shed my shirt as he kicks his pants off and takes off his t-shirt. We lock eyes and he moves over me, laying down on top of me, our warm skin meeting, my breasts pressed against his hairy chest. It feels so good, but it only gets better when he aims his hips, sliding his hard cock against my wet folds, the head rubbing against my swollen clit. He grunts and I moan "ohhh yeah, do that again...ohhh".

I grip his shoulder and arm as he repeats the motion, creating just the right friction and it all comes crashing down in a beautiful, intense moment for us both, catching us by surprise. I lock my legs around him, bringing my hips up against him and he hits my clit just right, sending me into climax "ohhhhhhhh....fuck, Rich....ohhhhhhhh". He feels me throb against his shaft and my clit rubs against the underside of his swollen head, his brain short circuits and he comes hard, pulsing and spurting his warm cum between us with a deep growl "fuck, love, fuck........ohhhh god........ohhhhh" and he buries his head in the crook of my neck.

We cling to each other, both breathless by this different and pretty intense experience. Our breathing slowly returns to normal and I rub his back. He lifts his head and kisses me deeply, mumbling "bloody hell....I'm sorry".

I cup his face "for what?".

"For making you sticky and messy.....".

Smiling, I kiss him again "it was hot as fuck, Rich....I don't care".

He gently touches my face "it was....I was going to come inside you.......but then you came and well....yeah.....I pretty much lost control".

We kiss again before he very carefully rolls off me, surveying the mess. He reaches for the drawer in the nightstand and grabs a towel, wiping us clean the best he can, before giving me a hand to get up and we take a quick shower, stopping ever few seconds to kiss or touch each other.

 

Two days later:

We are sitting on top of the world, or at least that is what it feels like. We took the ski lift up to the top pf the mountain to have lunch, after skiing all morning. We arrived in Austria yesterday and got situated at our hotel. It is in a charming town and the place is run by a family. I have been coming here for years, so the kids are very familiar with everything and we always have a double suite. The kids have their own room and bathroom and we have a sitting room with a fire place and then a master suite. 

The kids went off to ski school today, all excited to maybe see friends from last year or make new friends. Richard and I spent the morning racing down the slopes, he is an avid skier and it has been so great to see how much fun he is having. The weather is beautiful and the sun has been out, so we are wearing sunglasses as we sit out on the patio at this restaurant on the mountain, enjoying the incredible view.

His cheeks are red and he has a big grin on his face. He reaches for my hand on the table "this is incredible, Lauren.....I love it".

"I know, I do too......".

The waiter brings us each a glass of red wine and a charcuterie board with assorted meat and cheeses, mustards and some fresh bread. We share the tasty morsels and enjoy the wine, quietly talking and just being together.

Movement catches my eye over at another table and I see 4 women talking very animated and sort of pointing in our direction. My heart sinks and Richard senses my change right away, and looks at me "what? What is it, love?".

"I think you have been recognized port side, four females..".

He takes the last swig of his wine and motions for the waiter for the check "shit...lets get out of here then....I'm not in the mood, this is our private holiday".

"It's ok, chill......they are usually nice......" and I drink the last drops in my glass while he settles the bill and thanks the waiter.

We get up and start to walk down to retrieve our gear, everyone's skis lined up along with helmets and poles. He helps me down and we walk hand in hand.

"EXCUSE ME! RICHARD? WAIT!".

I feel his entire body tense up and he sighs, before turning around. I do too and we find the four women standing there, 3 of them looking really uncomfortable, but one being more than eager. She just pushes ahead "I knew it was you! Hi, I'm Ginny, these are my besties Rosie, Annabell and Miriam. Can I please have a picture?".

He forces a smile "nice to meet you.......sure" and Ginny hands the camera to one of the other women and gets really close to Richard, snuggling into him and barking orders "ok, Rosie...make sure we look good, like we are on vacation together".

Miriam rolls her eyes and walks over to me, saying out of the corner of her mouth "I'm so sorry....so disrespectful of her.......we are all fans, but the rest of us didn't want to bother you two, we realize he is on a private holiday".

I smile at her "it's ok and that is very considered of you, we appreciate it" and I wink at her "would you mind taking our picture when they are done?".

She looks surprised and I reach in my pocket for my iPhone and hand it to her, walking over to Richard as he tries to pry Ginny's hands off himself. I grab his arm "hey love, Miriam agreed to take our picture, we forgot".

He looks grateful and walks with me a few steps and I quickly say in his ear "they are all fans, but three of them are deeply embarrassed". He nods, having heard me and then proceeds to wrap both arms around me and grinning like a fool as Miriam snaps a few pictures. Ginny doesn't look too happy.

We thank Miriam and Richard is still holding my hand when he looks at them "anyone else want pictures? We gotta run soon and get kids from ski school" and he looks at his black omega watch.

Ginny exclaims "is that the one from Spooks?".

He nods "well yeah, I just really liked it".

"It is sexy as fuck on you" and she smiles and I almost laugh when I see Annabel make a face behind her back.

Rosie pipes up "if it is no bother, I would like a picture, please".

Richard gestures "of course....maybe you can all get in it and Lauren will take it?".

They all huddle around Richard and I am handed 4 cell phones and snap a few with each before they thank us and we can get our skis back on. We ski together down the slope and make our way over to the ski school area. 

Emma and Elliott comes over, both looking happy and they are almost talking on top of each other, trying to tell us all the things they have learned and done today. They beg us to go on one of the smaller ski runs with them and we gladly agree, since we would like to get a bit more snow time in too. We take the ski lift back up, I'm riding with Emma, who clings to me and closes her eyes because of the height and Richard rides with a confident Elliott.

We get off at the first stop and get ready to ski down. I let Emma go ahead and I am zig zagging slowly behind her. Elliott and Richard wait for a few before they go down too, skiing slightly behind us. 

Everything is going well until something catches Richard's eye and he looks in horror as someone comes zooming right past them, almost hitting them and then heading straight for us. He reacts on instinct and bellows as loud as he can "LAUREN! WATCH OUT".

I hear his voice and turn my head, seeing movement and then shove Emma out of the way and the next thing I know is, that someone slams into me and I am knocked down, everything goes dark and silent, the last thing I hear is Richard's voice "NOOOOOOOOOO!".

 


	22. Chapter 22

I slowly come to, hearing my children and Richard "Mum! Lauren! Mom, are you awake? Lauren! Please wake up, love". My eyes flutter open and Richard's face slowly comes into focus and he tries to smile, but totally fails. I wince and move my feet, causing Richard to freak out "don't move!".

"Rich, I'm fine.....he just knocked me out and the wind went out of me when he hit me......I feel ok....." and I motion to sit up, but he holds me down, shaking his head "please don't move until the paramedics get here, someone called them" and he has a pleading look on his face.

I nod, reaching up to undo my helmet and he touches my face, his voice a bit shaken "you scared me....".

Emma peaks over Richard's shoulder "Mum, are you ok?".

"I'm fine sweetie, how about you? Sorry I pushed you, but I didn't want you to get hit".

She smiles brightly "it's okay, the snow is soft, but that man is crazy" and we hear a ruckus and several voices, one of them Elliott's "he ran into my mom and hurt her...I....".

Richard bolts, raising his voice "Elliott, NO!".

Emma scoots closer and looks to where the voices are coming, I don't want to turn my head that far, so I look at her "what's going on?".

"Oh, Elliott tried to hit the man with his ski pole, the guy was trying to run away, but several people have grabbed him now, one is sitting on him and Rich is kneeling by Elliott, talking to him".

"He did?".

She nods "oh yeah.....he might have hit him, Mum, but he deserves it......he hurt you".

I reach out to touch her arm "I'm fine, sweetie, just got knocked on my back".

Richard comes back over with the EMT's and they kneel down to assess me before helping me up. I feel dizzy and my head spins, I am about to fall over, but Richard notices and grabs me "Lauren" and he sneers at the paramedics "for fucks sake.....can't you do your job".

I grab his arm "Rich.....calm down, I'm fine....I" and that is all I get out before I bend over and throw up. He is holding me and I hear Elliott "Mom!".

Richard rubs my back and the EMT's all of a sudden insist on taking me to the hospital. I start to protest, but Richard looks me square in the eyes "Lauren, listen, love.....please just go and get checked out".

I gesture "the kids....".

"I got them, we'll follow you there, don't worry".

Elliott comes over, giving me a concerned looked "Mom, please listen to Rich".

"Ok, fine....." and the EMT's help me into their sled and we make our short descend to the bottom and they put me in the ambulance. 

Richard jumps in, bending down and touching my face "I'll be there as soon as I can and don't worry...I got the kids" and he locks eyes with me "I love you".

"I love you too" and he leaves. 

We head towards the hospital and the EMT in the back looks at me "your husband loves you more than anything else in this world".

I smile at him "well, he is not my husband, but yes, he loves me".

"You are lucky".

"I know".

We get there and they wheel me in, putting me in a room and soon I am taken down for X-rays and a doctor comes in to ask questions and assess me. A nurse has helped me take off most of my clothes and given me a gown and a blanket.

I lay in the room, waiting for the doctor to come back in, I can actually see outside and how it is quickly getting dark. There is a knock and the kids and Richard come in, Emma running over "Mum, Mum, are you ok?".

Smiling, I reach down to touch her face "yeah, I'm fine, honey.....".

Elliott hugs me and Richard leans down to kiss me "how are you feeling, love?".

"Fine, they took x-rays and the doctor asked a hundred questions and felt me all over over". He lifts an eyebrow and I swat his arm "not like that, you pervert".

He snorts "he better not have".

Emma tries to climb into bed with me, but Richard stops her "don't do that, pumpkin, you don't want to hurt your mum" and he pulls a chair over "you can get up on that so you can see her better".

I watch and just smile, it really just comes natural to him now, to act like a father to my children. 

Elliott looks at me "are you really ok, Mum? It scared me".

"I know, Elliott, it scared all of us".

"That dude was drunk or something" and he looks angry "I just wanted to punch him".

"I know, but violence is not the answer".

He nods "yeah....Rich told me the same thing and the police did come and take him away".

I look at Richard as he confirms "they did and took a brief statement from us and I gave them my cell number and hotel info. They think he was drunk and will charge him, he could have really hurt you". The truthfulness of his words seems to finally hit him and he reaches for chair, sitting down and grabbing my hand, kissing my knuckles and saying quietly, while he looks at me "I don't think I could have dealt with that.......if something had happened to you......." and he goes quiet.

Reaching for his face, I caress his bearded chin "well, you don't have to....I'm fine".

The doctor comes back in "ahhh, Mr. Roberts has arrived" and he sticks out his hand "I'm Dr. Peters".

Richard shakes his hand "I'm Mr. Armitage, I'm just Lauren's boyfriend..I...".

Dr. Peters cuts him off "Thorin, Guy of Gisborne?".

Nodding, Richard blushes slightly "yeah, that would be me".

"So excited to meet you, we are Tolkien people at my house" and he smiles, but then turn a bit serious and waves to the kids "hey there". He puts up the X-rays and looks at me "you are very lucky and it was good you wore that helmet. He hit you hard and you might be sore tomorrow and have some bruising, but I don't see anything broken. I think you got a very slight concussion, that is why you threw up earlier, but if your boyfriend promises to look after you and wait on your hand and foot, you can go back to the hotel. Just come in or call if you start getting dizzy or you throw up again".

It is great news and after saying goodbye to the doctor, I quickly change back into my clothes and Richard calls the hotel and ask if they can send their shuttle. We make the short ride back to the hotel and to our room. The kids get out of their ski clothes and we get it hung up to dry along with ours. 

Elliott gets his iPad to play games and Emma finds a cartoon on TV. 

I walk in our bathroom, taking off the rest of my clothes and wince when I stretch, it hurt right under my rib cage on the right side and I can see the skin turning a bit darker. Richard comes in, only wearing his underwear and a t-shirt. He walks over, our eyes meeting in the mirror and him looking concerned "you alright?".

"Yeah, it is just tender right there" and I show him.

He wrinkles his forehead "it looks sore, love.....and might be all kinds of colors tomorrow" and he carefully hugs me, kissing me softly "I'm sorry".

"It's not your fault.....I'm going to try and soak in the tub for a bit.....we can go down for dinner after".

Nuzzling my neck, he places another kiss on my cheek "I already called down and they are sending food up, we don't have to go down. Heinz insisted when he realized who I was".

"Him and his wife are so nice, no wonder this place is booked solid all winter and even in the summer".

"People come here in the summer?" and he looks surprised.

"Yes, no everyone skis, Rich and imagine all these hills green and vibrant in summer, it really is beautiful........we have only done it once, but we should do it again".

"That sounds really nice" and he kisses my shoulder, before letting go "I'll shower really fast". I turn on the faucet to the tub and he jumps quickly in the shower to get cleaned up. I step in the tub as he gets out of the shower and I can't help admirer his gorgeous body. He catches my eyes and a blush starts to creep up on his cheeks "what?".

"Nothing, just enjoying the view" and I smirk.

"Whatever...." and he wraps a towel around his waist, coming over and kneeling down by the tub, giving me a soft kiss "I'm afraid as much as I would like to enjoy you naked, tonight is not the night......you need rest, love and hopefully you wont hurt tomorrow". We enjoy a few more kisses before he reluctantly gets up and puts on some clothes "I'll go check on the kids.....dinner should be here soon" I nod and then lean back in the tub, enjoying the warm water and trying to ignore the aches I feel right under my rib cage.

I get out 20 minutes later and feel better. I dry off and go in the bedroom and find a comfortable lounge set to wear and join the others in the sitting room. Elliott is still playing on his iPad, Emma has Richard's phone and he is over by a dinner table, that wasn't there before. He looks up, smiles and I walk into his arms as he kisses me "ready to eat?".

Touching the tablecloth, I look at him "where did this come from?".

"Heinz brought it along with some chairs, he knew there wasn't one and didn't want us to eat on the floor or the coffee table. Him and his wife are very concerned about you and want us to be as comfortable as possible".

"That is so thoughtful" and he pulls a chair out for me.

"I know" and he looks over at the kids, after taking a seat "Elliott, Emma.....dinner, please".

They get up and run and wash their hands and we sit down to a nice meal. It is some sort of very hearty stew, with meat, potatoes and other vegetables. We all enjoy it and what makes it even better, is the delicious fresh bread that came with it, still warm. The kids enjoy a soda and we share a bottle of red wine that Richard ordered. Dessert is warm chocolate cake and vanilla ice creme. It is all very tasty.

After dinner, the kids have a bath in the tubs in the bathrooms and then Richard reads to them for a bit before bed, being outdoors all day wears them out. Elliott gets in the top bunk and lays down right away. Richard comes in the room, carrying Emma, she fell asleep while being read to. I move the covers and he lays her down and pulls the duvet over her. He kisses her forehead, whispering "night, pumpkin". We say goodnight to Elliott and he looks sleepy at us "night, Mum, night, Rich.....I love you".

Richard ruffles his hair "love you too, Elliott" and we leave the room, making sure the night light is on in the bathroom.

I walk to the couch and Richard answers the door when someone knocks softly. He ordered tea and brings it over. We get comfortable on the couch, he is in the chaise part, with his feet up, I am leaning against him, with my feet out the other way. He has a couple of scripts he reads through and I am just scrolling the internet on my iPad. 

It had caused quite a stir, the Christmas letter posted by Richard and people have tweeted him endlessly about it, demanding he reveal who he is with and also scolded him, accusing him of everything from stealing another man's wife to robbing the cradle. Richard was pretty upset about it, but we spend a long time talking about it and I reminded him yet again, that he doesn't owe anyone anything and doesn't have any obligation to tell anyone about us.

I sigh, Ginny has tweeted the picture of Richard and her already, tagging him "look who I am on vacation with.....I wish. He looked gorgeous!". People are all over that with questions and comments "where are you, where did you see him, was he alone, you are so lucky, he is hot as fuck, how dare you tweet something this rude, why didn't you leave him alone, respect his privacy please, how dare you" and it goes on and on. She did answer "I'm in Austria on holiday, me and my friends saw him eating lunch, he was with Lauren, don't tell me what to do". The fans are getting testy with each other.

Miriam did tweet too, but a lot more subdued "Richard, thank you for being so kind today" and it is the picture of them all with him. People have tweeted her too "he looks gorgeous, lucky you, how rude of you guys to interrupt his holiday, was he alone". She has replied as well "we waited until he was leaving lunch, he was more than gracious, no he was not alone and he looked very happy and in love".

Richard's voice interrupts my thoughts "hey, you ok? .

I put the iPad down, turning to sort of face him and he throws his script on the table, pulling me into his lap. I lean my head against his chest and he kisses my forehead. I sigh in contentment "yeah, I'm fine.....just reading Twitter".

He groans "oh don't remind me that place exists......what is the issue now?".

"The fans from earlier today....." and I just leave it at that, I can kind of tell he is not in the mood to talk about it.

Reaching for my hand, our fingers lace together as he brings them to his lips and he kisses my knuckles "how are you feeling?".

"Ok, a little sore and tired".

"We should go to bed then....want you to feel up to the New Year's party tomorrow, you told me how fun it is and how good the food is".

I nod and get up, holding out a hand "it is, don't want to miss that".

We get ready for bed and I wince, getting into bed and gingerly lay down, settling. Richard crawls in on the other side and props himself up on one elbow, kissing me softly "goodnight, love.....get feeling better.....wake me, if you need anything".

I kiss him back and our hands find each other as we drift off to sleep.

 

The next morning:

I wake up to a beard lightly scratching and tickling my bare shoulder and neck, a warm breath on my ear, followed by a light nibble on my ear lobe. A soft moan escapes my lips when a warm palm slides over my upper arm, over my collarbone and then an entire hand envelopes my left breast. This followed by a soft kiss to my lips and when I return the kiss, he goes back in for another kiss, deepening it with every second, until his tongue slips inside my wet mouth. I arch and moan again.

Richard pulls me closer, pressing his entire front to my back and I wiggle my behind against his semi hard cock, feeling him twitch and go all the way hard quickly. I reach behind me, running my hand down his naked side and squeezing his rear, pulling him more flush against me. He moans as his erection slides along my silky panties and I lean back against him, so I exposed more of my front to him and he gets the hint. He kisses me again and grins, bringing his arms more around me, one continuing to caress my breast and the other one sliding over my body, over my stomach and then he wiggles his fingers under my panties.

He ever so softly touches my mound and then shimmers his hand back out, making me whimper in protest "Rich....please....stop teasing".

Smirking into my mouth, he mumbles "what? I'm not teasing you.....and you are hurt from yesterday....I think we better not..." and the rest drowns out, when I move my behind very deliberately against his cock "ohhh....." and he grabs my hips, rutting against me, making us both moan when he slides between my legs, feeling my soaked panties.

I turn my head even more, grinning "you were saying?" and I quickly remove my underwear, tossing them to the floor. "I'm fine, but if you wont corporate, I guess I'll take care of myself" and I spread my legs slightly and throw my head against him as I move my hand down between my legs.

He twitches against me and covers my hand with his, croaking "show me what you need" and he mimics my hand until he pushes it aside, so he can slide his long fingers deeper, fingering my entrance and finally entering me with his index finger while circling my clit. I am so wet and it spurs on his arousal, I can feel the slick precum being smeared over my thighs and behind as he can't help but move his hips in rhythm behind me.

"Ohhhh god that feels good, Rich....ohhh, more......and I grind my hips against his hand, fast approaching orgasm. "Rich, please......need your cock......please fuck me....ohhhh" and I am so close.

He senses it and pulls his hand away and looks at me, his eyes dark with arousal and he licks his fingers before we meet in a smoldering kiss. I moan into his mouth as I taste myself on his lips and I lift my leg more, reaching between us and guiding him into place. He pushes forward, but misses, sliding the head of his cock between my wet folds, hitting my clit, sending jolts of pleasure through my entire body. He pulls back and then lines himself up, the very tip nudging at my entrance and he eases inside, a deep groan tearing from his mouth as he penetrates me from behind.

"Ohhh fuck yeah" and he pants against my ear.

I grab onto his arm and the edge of the bed for some leverage as he starts to move. He goes slow at first, small, shallow thrusts, in and out, building the tension and the pleasure. It is not enough and I push my behind against him "more...Rich.....harder.......need you to fuck me hard........" and he finally complies, almost knocking the wind out of me when he starts to thrust deep and hard.

"RICH! Oh god...ohhhhh".

He kisses me "shhhh.....don't want to wake the kids......ughhh......fuck it's good.....ohhhh". He has his hand on my hip and I move mine down to my clit, touching myself and brushing his cock at the same time. He watches and I know it is such a huge turn on for him and he thrusts faster.

I throw my head back and my entire body releases, my inner walls gripping him tightly, convulsing as I climax and he covers my mouth with his to drown out my scream of pure pleasure. He pounds into me and bites my shoulder in a muffled grunt as he throbs and pulses deep inside of me, flooding me with his warmth.

He holds me tight and I cling to his arm as we relish in the experience and slowly come down from the high. We meet in a soft kiss and he finally slips from me and he pulls me on top of him, wrapping me in his arms.

We just lay there for a while and I finally lift my head and look at him, being met with his eyes, saying so much without words and he pulls me in for another kiss "I love you.......that was hot as fuck".

"I love you too, Rich".

The kids are starting to make noises and we reluctantly get up, throw on some clothes and make our way down to breakfast. 

We spend the rest of the day skiing, Richard is over protective and is pretty much guarding me the entire day, but it is ok. We get the kids from ski school and get back to the hotel to shower and get ready for the New Year's dinner. It is held in their dining hall and we all dress up for it. They have kids tables with their own buffet and us adults are seated at nicely decorated tables. We enjoy a fancy buffet dinner and then the band plays and people are encouraged to dance. 

Emma and Elliott have a blast with the friends they have made and Richard and I enjoy a quiet evening with wonderful food and delicious wine. He even takes me out of the dance floor a couple of times.

Midnight is approaching and we get our glasses of champagne and the kids are given sparkling apple cider in their own fancy glasses. 

Everyone stands up and we have an official count down. The clock strikes midnight and Richard raises his glass, looks at me and speaks into to my ear "Happy New Year, Lauren......I hope it will bring us more happiness and joy, I'm grateful to have you by my side" and we share a tender kiss.

"I love you, Rich" and we kiss again before we all walk out to the deck overlooking the frozen lake. Fireworks go off and light up the sky, Richard is standing behind me, his head resting on my shoulder, our hands not holding champagne glasses, intertwined together as we watch the colors bursting into the darkness, both of us wishing and wondering what the new year will bring us.

 

3 weeks later:

I'm busy at work, everyone is back in full swing after our Christmas break and we are gearing up for several new TV shows, so there are lots of costumes to make. Ellen and I are looking at the big table, sketches spread out and we discuss each piece, making notes and seeing what will work and what wont.

There is a knock on the door and we look up, Ellen calling out "it's open".

The door swings open and Richard peaks his head in, catching us both by surprise. I smile "Rich, what are you doing here, everything ok?".

"Yeah, it's fine, but wonder if you have a minute?" and he comes over and kisses me chastely and then turns to Ellen, giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek "how are you, darling?".

She hugs him back "I'm good, Rich and you?" and she looks at him "you look fantastic, being in love suits you".

He blushes and takes my hand "thank you.....".

Ellen gives him a big smile "you both deserve this so much" and she looks at me "remember, I still can do a descent wedding dress".

"Very funny, Ellen.........I'll be back in a few".

She waves her hand "I mean it and take your time, it is lunch anyway" and we leave.

We walk out the door and I look at him, feeling anxious "what is it, Rich and not that I mind, but it couldn't wait until I got home?".

He pulls me down the hall and we find an empty reading room and he turns, leaning against the desk in there, still holding my hand "no, it couldn't and I'm sorry.......", he takes a deep breath "I got a job offer...".

"Okay.....you get offers pretty often.." and I look at him confused.

"Yeah, but this is for the TV show *Hannibal* to play Francis Dolarhyde, it is in Toronto...".

"That sounds awesome, Bryan Fuller is directing it.....what are you concerned about? Do you not want it?".

He runs a hand through his hair "no, I would love to do it".

"But...?".

"They start shooting in 12 days....." and he gives me a frustrated look.

"So? You are not doing anything right now..............you are still working on getting the play lined up this summer or fall......".

"Yeah, I know that, Lauren.......but the kids, you...?".

I step closer and cub his face "listen, love......I know this is what you do for a living, I know you live for your craft and I also know an opportunity like this might not come often.....so go......we'll be fine".

He gives me a doubtful look "but what about the kids.....you.....you were counting on me being there....".

"Rich, I love having you right here with us, but we can manage and you would love to do it, wouldn't you?".

"Well, yeah......I would love to work with Bryan Fuller and the character is very complex and intriguing to me".

"So go.....when do you have to give them an answer by?".

"My agent called me and told me they are in a pinch, so the sooner the better.....are you sure?".

"Yes! First of all, it is still your life and I don't control what you do and don't do and the kids will be ok, this is what you do for a living" and I kiss him.

He kisses me back, holding me tight, his forehead against mine "this is why I love you".

"I love you too, Rich" and our lips meet again.

He sighs "I'm going to miss you so, so much".

"How long will you be gone?".

"At least 2 1/2 months, more likely 3" and he looks worried.

"It will be ok......maybe I can come visit you for an extended weekend in the middle, that would be nice".

His face lights up "that would be brilliant".

We talk a bit more, trying to iron out the finer details and then we walk upstairs to the cafeteria, enjoying a quick lunch together.


	23. Chapter 23

6 weeks later:

We are approaching the airport in Toronto and I gather my things and strap in for the final descend. The plane ride went quickly and I actually got a few hours of sleep. I left the kids with Luke's parents and they were sad I was leaving, Emma cried and wanted to make sure I hugged Richard really tight when I saw him. Elliott has given me a letter and promised me not to peak, and told me to please give it to Richard.

They had been heartbroken when he left a month and a half ago, he had spend every minute he could with them before he departed for Toronto. We all took him to the airport and it was a sad goodbye. He had been teary eyed as much as the kids. They have a ritual of talking to him every afternoon as they get home from school unless he is filming, which I know he has tried very hard to arrange, so he has an hour around 10am his time. He will help them with reading or other homework and just talk to them about their day. 

We get on Facetime or the phone after the kids go to bed, trying to reconnect and just talk about our day. The show is grueling and gruesome, they have a tight schedule and the material is pretty dark. He plays a serial killer that kills entire families. I can tell it is taking it's toll on him and I am kind of acting as his sounding board at the end of the day. 

He has found some lighter and good moments too, when Francis Dolarhyde meets Reba and basically falls in love, the first time he takes her to bed and his conflicting internal struggle as he tries to protect her from the dragon. I am fascinated with how he approaches his work and how much time he spends researching and writing the background story, but it makes sense to me. Richard needs to know where this person is coming from and the history.

I have missed him so much, the house has felt empty without him and the bed awfully cold and lonely. I miss having him around, sitting next to him at night, drinking tea, just talking, his arm around mine. I miss his warm body next to mine, his entire chest pressed against my back as he spoons me when we sleep. I miss the sex, the physical intimacy and satisfaction. He is a considered and skillful lover, always making sure I get as much out of it as he does.

Walking off the plane, it feels good to stretch my legs, it is a bit chilly, I'm wearing leggings, a t-shirt and a warm, knee length sweater cardigan and leather boots. I get through to grab my suitcase and then make my way out of the restricted area. Richard had felt bad he couldn't pick me up, but it is in the early afternoon and they are shooting. I told him I could just take a taxi, but he insisted on taking care of it and said someone would be there to get me.

I look around and this tall, lanky guy is holding up a sign *L. Roberts* on it, I approach, smiling "did Mr. Armitage send you?".

He smiles "yes, he sure did" and he holds out his hand "I'm Ian Smith, sort of a everything man on Hannibal and today I have been asked, to bring you back to set or Richard made it clear, he would kill me himself".

I chuckle "I bet he did" and he offers to take my suitcase, but I tell him it is fine. We walk out and get to his car and are soon on our way back to set. Ian glances at me, smirking a bit "he is so excited to see you......sometimes he doesn't say much, but he sure has talked about today.....I think he misses you".

"Oh I have missed him too".

"It is non of my business, but I have seen a lot of people come and go on the sets I have worked on and I must say, Richard is one of the nicest people.....he always treats everyone with respect and certainly doesn't think he is any better than anyone else".

"That sounds like him.....".

"And he is so good......I watched him the other day and the emotions he can pull out is astounding".

"He was really excited to come and work on Hannibal".

"Well, I think they are thanking their lucky stars he took it" and he gestures as we swing into a secured parking lot "here we are". He pulls up to the gate and Ian rolls the window down, flashing his badge "hey there, Rob.....I'm here with Richard's girlfriend".

"Well, no wonder he was beaming as he drove in this morning....enjoy" and he lets us through.

He drives me over to the trailers and parks in front of one, giving me a key "Richard gave me this so you could drop your suitcase and then I will take you to set".

"Thank you" and I get out and he hands me the suitcase and goes back in the car, not wanting to invade Richard's trailer. I unlock the door and get in, placing the suitcase out of the way. There is not much in here, but it does smell like him. A bouquet of red roses are sitting on the tiny kitchen counter with a piece of paper in his distinct handwriting "Lauren......you are here! I have missed you so much, love and can't wait to see you! XO, Rich".

I look around, it is mostly tidy, but do smile when I peak in the bedroom, clothes on the floor and he hasn't bothered making the bed. He gets messy at home too, but I just have learned to live with it, finding kind of refreshing that he is not always a neat freak like Luke was.

Glancing in the bathroom mirror for a minute, I just run my hands through my hair and can't wait to take a shower, being on an airplane for that long always makes you feel grungy and tired. I walk back out, locking the trailer, sticking the key in my cardigan pocket.

Ian motions for me to get back in the car and he drives us the short distance over to the studios, housed in some large buildings. I get out with him and follow him in. I feel a bit anxious and excited, knowing I will see Richard any moment now.

We walk down a hallway and the door swings open and out comes Bryan Fuller himself, carrying a script. He looks up, smiles at Ian and a light bulb goes off in his head. He turns to me and extends his hand "you must be Lauren, the woman that holds Rich's heart".

I take his hand "yes, that would be me....so nice to meet you.......thanks for allowing me to come here".

He pulls me in for a hug "anytime, darling and I tell you, Rich can't wait to see you.....he is trying so hard to concentrate, but he keeps looking around and his tick, with picking at his hands......he has been doing it all the time today, when not on camera".

"Oh....can you sneak me in, I certainly don't want to interrupt anything, I know what a tight schedule you are on.....".

"Sure, come with me" and Bryan takes my hand. I thank Ian before being led a little further down the hall and we enter another door. There are some screens set up and we step in, Bryan motions to someone and a young lady comes over, he says quietly "Brittany, this is Lauren Roberts, Richard's girlfriend.......please look after her, she doesn't want him to know she is here until we are done for today".

She nods and motions for me to come over and points to a chair. I sit down and have a perfect, but hidden view into what is Francis' attic. The lights are on and Richard is in the middle. I try to not gasp when I see him, he is beautiful and mesmerizing as he spreads his arms, his entire back covered with the dragon tattoo, the tail of the dragon painted around his thigh and lower leg. He is wearing the tiny black shorts and when he turns around, my mouth goes dry. The bulge in the front is beautiful and his waxed chest......I just want to run my hand over the muscles and his nipples.

He stops for a moment, almost like he knows something in the room shifted, he looks around, takes a deep breath and launches into quite the performance. The dragon is fighting an internal war with Francis and Richard portrays it beautifully and heartbreaking. I feel all kinds of emotions and tear up when he throws himself on the floor, wrestling with the internal beast. I can tell Richard is pouring everything into this and I am glad I am not distracting him.

They pause and he gets up, he is sweating and makeup rushes up to touch him up. Someone hands him a water bottle and Bryan and the director step in to talk to him for second. I can see Richard asking Bryan something and he looks at his phone, Richard nods and then looks concerned, glancing around again. Everyone clears out and they do another take, then another and yet another.

Finally the director stands up "CUT! That is a wrap for today and this week. Thank you, Richard and everyone else, now go home and have a good weekend".

Richard gets up and is handed a thick robe, which he puts on. He takes another swig of water and wipes his forehead with his arm. He rips off the cleft palate part and discards it in the trash.

Brittany gestures for me and I get up, and walk around the screen just as Bryan puts his hand on Richard's shoulder "is this who you have been looking for?".

Whipping around, Richard stands rooted to the ground for a second, before breaking into a grin and he rushes over, as I walk towards him, smiling. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me in for the tightest hug, burying his face in my hair. He just holds me, whispering in my ear "ohh, love......I missed you so, so much". We just stand there, totally unaware that the entire crew is still around us. A feeling of coming home washes over me as I feel his heart beat and his warmth. We finally break, our eyes meeting, his reflecting the same emotions mine are, he cups my face, bringing his lips to mine, giving me a tender kiss. It starts soft, but he can't help it, going in for a second, more desperate one and the entire room erupts in cat calls and cheers.

I smile as I pull away from him and he rests his forehead against mine, saying softly "hey".

"Hey yourself" and we kiss again, me becoming aware of his rapidly growing erection, pressing against my stomach. We exchange a look, he takes my hand, sort of walking behind me, introducing me quickly to a few people and then he more or less drags me out of there. He manages to grab his flip flops before we make it out the door, him pulling me into his arms again, as soon as the door shuts behind us. He presses me against the neatest wall in the hall as we exchange some wet and very heated kisses. 

His tongue chases mine and my hands roam up the back of his robe. His one hand is tangled in my hair, the other planted firmly on my behind as he devours me. We finally have to get up for air, his breath ragged as he mutters "fuck I miss you, Lauren".

I grin and run my hand over the bulge in the front "yeah, I can tell".

He smirks and presses himself against me "he missed you too......".

Giggling, I swat his shoulder "you dork" and he grins, after stealing another kiss "it's the truth" and his eyes go a shade darker, his breath on my ear "lets get to my trailer....".

We walk briskly hand in hand across the lot and get to the trailer. I reach for the key in my pocket and tries to open the door, which is hard when someone is kissing your neck, his arms around you from behind "Rich, stop! I can't concentrate to get it open" and I giggle, when he blows on my ear.

He sounds needy "hurry up".

The door finally gives and we stumble inside, him pulling the door shut behind us, flipping the lock. I throw the key on the counter, kick off my boots and turn to him, shedding the cardigan before we embrace. He kisses me with passion, our tongues dueling and my hands fumble with his robe sash until it finally unties. I open his robe and my hands make contact with his skin, my fingers touching the smooth chest and I break, to place kisses on his pectoral muscles and I lick his nipple. He throws his head back and moans "ohhhhhh" and I move my hand over his stomach, his abs more defined and then finally cupping the front of his shorts. He is rock hard and presses into my hand as I wrapped my hand around his shaft "ughh....please".

Our mouths meet again and he pulls me closer by grabbing my behind and slowly ruts against me. The lust, need and passion builds between us and our kisses become even more frantic. I push the robe off his shoulders and he tosses it on the floor, diving in for another kiss while pulling on my top, lifting it over my head, throwing it on the ground. He looks at me with lustful eyes, drawing me back in, holding me tight, his bulge against my stomach and I feel the moisture soaking through the fabric of his shorts. 

He leans over me, placing kisses on my neck and shoulder, bringing one hand up to knead my breast through my bra. He flicks his thumb over my nipple and I moan against him as the sensation goes straight to my core, making me throb with desire and need for him. He licks the top of my breasts while moving his hand up my back to unhook my bra. My breasts spill out and he quickly discard the lacey undergarment. He twitches in his shorts as he finally cups my breast in his hand and suck on my other nipple.

I grab his short hair, whimpering "ohhhhh, Rich......more please". He continues to touch me and I manages to get one hand in his shorts, wrapping my hand around his hard cock, stroking his length a few times, feeling him throb. His skin is so silky soft, but he is achingly hard underneath. I cup his balls, they already feel heavy and tight. 

He shoves a hand in my leggings as I spread my legs and he groans in arousal when his fingers find me slick and so wet "fuck, love.....god I want you" and he rubs my clit a few times, turning me on even more.

I kiss down his chest, pushing him against the counter, licking his flat stomach before grabbing the top of his shorts, pulling them down, being careful to free his erection. He sighs as his cock slaps against his belly. I look at him , licking my lips, seeing the very tip glistening with precum, peaking out from his foreskin, looking angry and so aroused. I bend down and slowly lick him from base to tip, using my tongue to push his foreskin back, exposing his sensitive head. He almost jerks as I lick him and when I swallow him down, he tugs on my hair gently "ughhh.......you gotta stop or I'll come......fuck......ohhhhh" and he pulls me up for a searing kiss.

Grabbing his face, we kiss deeply and he all of a sudden takes hold of me, one strong arm around my torso and the other under my legs, lifting me up in one swift motion. I yelp "Rich" and grab around his shoulder. He gives me a lustful look and carries me towards the tiny bedroom in quick steps.

Our mouths find each other again and we exchange another heated kiss as he get to the door, he looks out the corner of his eye to try and get us both through it. He turns a little, his biceps bulging as he holds me, getting my feet in first and I cling closer to him as he walks sideways. We are almost through when he trips, I shriek and he lets out an "umphhh" as we both go flying......landing on the bed.

I start to laugh and he mutters "fuck" and looks at me "you ok?".

"I'm fine......what happened?".

He looks down "my damn sneakers...."

I scoot closer to him "well, what a surprise.......".

"Are you saying I'm messy?".

"Sometimes....", I touch his face, his smooth, clean shaven chin "are you ok?" and I lean in, breathing on his ear as I move my hand down his body, finding his hard cock "did he get hurt? You could have landed on him......." and I enclose my hand around his pulsing shaft.

Richard bites back a groan "he's fine.....ohhh....but really...fuck.....needs to get inside......ughh....you.....ohhhh yeah....please" and I caress his entire length a few times, feeling him go even harder and my hand being coated with pre cum. He moves over me, pushing me down on my back, kissing me again and then moves down my body, kissing and licking his way south. He pulls my tights and underwear off quickly, looking up at me before he dips his head between my thighs, licking me from opening to clit. He grunts when he tastes and feels how wet I am and he doesn't waste any time, he licks my clit, flattening his tongue and rasping over it fast, alternating the pressure. I pull my legs up, grabbing his short hair "ohhhh, ohhhh yeah, Rich.....ohhhhhhhhhh, close......",

He senses it and scoots back up my body, guiding himself between my legs, nudging his wide head inside my vagina and then I pull him down for a passionate kiss, as he penetrates me to the hilt. He spreads me wide and fills me, it feels so good and I arch my back, my eyes rolling back in my head "ohhh Rich.....".

I watch the intense pleasure wash over his face as he enters me, squeezing his eyes shut for a second and holding still, gritting his teeth, trying not to come right then and there. I touch his arm and his back "it's okay......let go, Rich.....".

His voice is strained "no...I want to bring you with me, but I'm sorry this will be over soon......fuck I missed you and this" and he starts to move, making us both moan loudly. The intensity builds quickly and I grab onto his back, running my hands down to his behind, taking hold of his cheeks, forcing him closer. He thrusts faster, placing one hand on my rear, lifting my hip up a little and angling his movements.

Arching up towards him, his pubic bone rubs against my swollen clit and he hits the right spot deep inside me "ohhhh, right there, Rich......ohhh yeah.....ohhhh".

"Fuck, babe.......ohhhhh you feel good......come for me, love.....ohhhh god.......ohhhh" and he goes even faster.

"Harder, Rich......yeah, right there......ohhhh, ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh god........Riiichhhhh.........ohhhh" and I throw my head back as I climax, raking my fingers down his back, my inner walls pulsating around him, milking him. 

He kisses my neck and pounds into me a few more times before coming hard. I feel him throbbing and pulsing as he spurts over and over with a deep moan "ughhhh fuck yeah..........ohhhhhhhhh" and he collapses in my arms with a grunt, holding himself firmly to me as we both continue to enjoy the last spasms of orgasm together.

We are totally out of breath and just hold each other for a while, his heart hammering against mine. We are drenched in sweat. Our heartbeats are slowly returning to normal, we just hold each other tight as I slowly caresses he back. He nuzzles my neck and then finally lifts his head to kiss me softly, muttering "fuck I needed that"

"Me too, Rich" and we kiss again. 

He is still semi hard and I squeeze my internal muscles to tease him. He smiles "don't encourage him.....".

"I thought you liked when he takes over".

"I do, but I think we have made a total mess of the sheets and everything else......the tattoo is likely all over except on my back".

My eyes go wide "ohh I totally forgot".

"So did I......we got so busy humping each other" and he motions "look at your hands".

I hold them up and they are covered in smeared printer ink from the tattoo and I look at the sheets and they are a mess too "wow.....",

"I know" and he looks at me with so much love "but it was worth it......I love you so much".

"I love you too, Rich.......I missed you".

"I missed you more....I'm so glad you are here for a few days" and he kisses me again.

"Me too".

He doesn't want to crush me, so he rolls over on his back, taking me with him. He slips from me and I settle on his smooth chest. He runs his hand up my back, caressing me and moves a strand of hair of out my face, giving me a smile, before kissing the top of my head. 

It is so nice to be back in his arms. I palm his hairless chest "it feels nice......but I do prefer your manly hair".

"Oh it will be back soon, don't worry".

"Did you wax or shave below your belly?"

"Shave.....wax is not getting anywhere near the kibble and bits, believe me" and he makes a face.

I laugh "so I gather you have never been totally waxed?".

He looks mortified "no and I don't plan to either.......why on earth would you do that?".

"Some people say it is sensual and sexy".

He rolls his eyes "whatever......." and he smirks, stealing a wet kiss with lots of tongue "I don't think we need any more sexy here anyway.......do we" and he captures my lips again.

We finally come up for air and I feel him stir against my thigh "oh no....you horny bastard.......you better get in the shower, so we can get home and find something to eat.....I would like to shower too".

Richard kisses me again "sorry, can't help it......haven't seen you for so long, but you're right" and he sighs "wish the shower was bigger" and he wiggles an eyebrow.

"I bet you do" and I very reluctantly roll off him. I grab the corner of the sheet "let's take it home and wash it" and I get out of the small bed, wiping myself with the sheet.

He stands up to, coming over "sorry about the mess" and we kiss again.

"It's fine, I think I encouraged you to make it, didn't I?" and I smile at him. 

"Yes you did" and he goes to a pile of clothes, grabbing a shirt and underwear "I'm just going to wear this home and I'll shower then".

"You sure, Rich?".

"Yeah" and he gets semi dressed, finding a pair of sweats too. I go and wash my hands in the kitchen sink, luckily the ink is water based, so it comes off with a little scrubbing. He walks up behind me, hugging me and kissing my shoulder "you should get dressed, don't want you to get a cold". Turning my head, I kiss him back before going to get dressed.

I find my clothes scattered in the trailer and pick up a bit, after getting dressed. I locate all his dirty clothes for the week, throws it in the basket with the sheet and he gets my suitcase to put it in his rental car. We lock up the trailer and are soon on our way to his apartment.

He is driving, since he knows where we are going. I rest my hand on his thigh. He glances at me "should be order pizza or something? I went shopping, but I kind of think we are both too tired to cook tonight".

"I'll cook something tomorrow, but yeah, that sounds good".

"I did get some great wine too, so we can share a bottle tonight, if you want and I got stuff for salad".

I tease him "look at you, you are capable of surviving alone".

"Very funny, love......and yes, I am, but I would rather be home and share the chores with you".

"I know, Rich, I'm kidding" and I lean my head on his shoulder "I have missed you".

We drive in silence for a few minutes until he swings into a modern looking complex and parks the car "welcome home or whatever you want to call it". We get out, carrying laundry basket and my suitcase in, taking the elevator up to the 4th floor and down the hall. He unlocks the door and we step in.

It is a very simplistic space, but feels serene and peaceful. A place where he can really find Francis, get inside the character and make him come alive on screen.

He takes my suit case to the bedroom and I smile, there are clothes on the floor there too. He looks embarrassed, muttering " was going to clean it up.....I at least took out the trash and loaded the dishwasher".

I come up to him and hug him, looking at him "Rich, I don't care.......you are working, I get that....don't worry about it".

He kisses me "that is another reason I love you.....you don't get upset about shit like this......".

"Because it is just stuff and not what matter, this matters" and I pinch his butt.

"Ouch......." and he steals another kiss "want to go shower.....it is big enough for two?".

So that is why I find myself pressed against the shower wall 5 minutes later, him slowly thrusting into me, watching me closely and trying to bring me as much pleasure as possible. My legs are wrapped tightly around him, he has one hand planted on my rear and the other against the tile for leverage and support. His movements are bringing me closer and closer to climax, he moves his hips slow and deep, making sure to rub his pubic bone against my clit. We exchange a deep, passionate kiss as the tension builds.

I adjust my legs and he hits just the right spot. I unravel in his arms, climaxing with a breathless moan in the crook of his neck. My entire pelvic floor convulses around his hard cock and it sends him into orgasm too. He reaches completion with a grunt "fuck I'm coming" and I feel his release flooding me as he pulses deep inside of me. 

We cling to each other and exchange tender kisses, murmuring our love for each other. This round of lovemaking was slower and not as frantic and he gently lifts me down, pulling me into his arms. We stand under the hot water for a few seconds and then finish showering. I get done scrubbing his back, that is how we ended up against the wall in the first place. The tattoo is finally gone.

Stepping out, he hands me a towel and we get dressed for a lazy evening. I just clip up my hair hair and he goes in the kitchen to open a bottle of wine. I pick up a little in the bedroom, deciding that most of it is likely laundry. I throw in a load including the sheet from the trailer, after rinsing it out in the bathroom sink. 

I walk into the small kitchen and he hands me a glass, after kissing me again "here.......and what kind of pizza should we get?".

Taking a sip, I get a blissful look on my face when the liquid hits my tongue "oh, that is good....nice pick, Rich".

"I cheated, I had some last weekend......" and he point to a menu "they have this one pizza with thinly sliced steak, mushroom, onion and gorgonzola".

"That sounds yummy......get that and we can make a salad".

He calls to order and I throw a salad together before the pizza arrives. We enjoy a nice meal together, just quietly talking, him asking about the kids and things at home. He tells me in more detail about Francis and how he sees him, it is fascinating to listen to.

After dinner, we are frankly exhausted, so we actually get in bed, him with the script, the prep never ends as long as you are on a job and me with my iPad. I catch up on Twitter etc. and then read the news from back home.

I'm reading *the Guardian* newspaper online and totally unaware that Richard has put his script down, watching me. I keep reading the article that caught my eye, wrinkling my nose in concentration. He finally leans over, kissing my naked shoulder "I don't know what you are reading, but it looks deeply fascinating, love".

"Huh, what?" and i look at him in confusion until I snap out of it "oh, sorry......I'm reading an article about hedgehogs and how they are so endangered back home and how we can help them". I take his hand as I keep talking "I have always love them and got excited every time I would see one......they use to come all the time in Luke's folks garden".

"That more of a damn park, Lauren......".

"True, but you know what I mean.....".

He kisses my knuckles "yeah I do and we use to have them come into Mum and Dad's yard too........Mum would give them cat food sometimes and they liked the apples from the tree in the yard..........so why are they endangered now?".

"I guess loss of habitat, people enclose their yards, pesticides, cars etc.........we can make our yard more hedgehog friendly.....cut holes in the fence in places, set out water......".

"We could, I guess.......wouldn't hurt and the kids would like it.....".

I nod "yes they would.....and we should donate money to help them.....there are people that volunteer to care for injured, sick or abandoned babies over the summer".

"Really" and he looks surprised.

"Yeah, I'll look into it when I get home, might be something the kids would like over the summer......unless we are going somewhere?" and I look at him.

Richard shakes his head "I don't think so....." and he gets serious, looking at me "I waited until you got here, but we worked it out, I'm doing *the Crucible* over the summer, or late summer.....at the Old Vic" and he gives me a grin.

I throw my arms around him "ohh Rich, that is so exciting! Congrats, I'm so happy for you".

He beams "me too, love......and I get to be home".

"And you get to return to theater, where you started you career, it is wonderful".

"I know" and he looks like a happy kid and pulls me in for another kiss.

We both are overcome with exhaustion after a long work week and jet lag. We lay down, he is on his back and I snuggle close, our hands intertwined on his chest. We kiss again and then soon drifts off to sleep, happy to be reunited for a few days. 


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the long wait....if you are even still with me, enjoy and thank you!

I slept like a rock and finally wake up when I hear Richard's voice loud and clear "FUCKING HELL! Come on! Shit!". It takes me a moment to come to and realize where I am at. I stretch in the bed and yawn big, forcing myself to sit up. I'm naked, so I grab my robe from the suitcase in the closet, wrapping it around me and walk out of the bedroom, following Richard's frustrated voice.

Stopping as the kitchen come into view, I smile and then walk closer. It looks like a bomb went off: bowls, packages, cans, boxes, measuring cups and a few other items are scattered all over the counters.

Richard is standing in the middle of it, wearing his robe and still barefoot, his hair a bit messy. His hands are buried in a bowl full of what looks like some sort of dough. He looks up "I was going to surprise you and make a fruit pie, your favorite, but it obviously is not going well.......sorry if I woke you up".

I walk over and lean up to kiss him "mmmm.....that is very sweet, you didn't need to do that....what is the issue?".

He lifts a hand, covered in goo "the dough.....it is not coming together right.....it looked easy when your mom and you did it over Thanksgiving....".

Washing my hands quickly, I take the bowl from him, scraping off the mixture from his hands "well.....honestly, pie dough is a bit tricky and it can send you into an early death from frustration....". I feel the dough "a bit more flour, but not too much...." and I add a little at a time.

Richard snort "no shit.....I about blew a gasket", washing his hands and then starting to clean up a bit, putting things away and stirring the pot of fruit he has on the stove. 

I peak in the saucepan and inhale "well, that smells wonderful, Rich....".

"Lets hope it is good" and he scratches his stomach, which I find adorable.

The dough comes together and I put it in the fridge to rest. I feel him come up behind me, kissing my neck, moving my hair out of the way and he hums "mmmm, I missed you so much, love.....I'm so happy you could come for the weekend". He wraps his arms around me and I lean into him, our fingers intertwining on my stomach.

"I missed you too, Rich.......so much" and I turn around so I can kiss him properly.

It gets heated really fast and we are soon clawing at each other and fumbling with the ties on our robes. I manage to get his undone first and he is not wearing anything under it, his erection almost springs into my hand as I feel for him. He is rock hard already and eagerly pushes into my fist, letting a moan out between kisses "ughhhh.....more.....please". I close my fingers around him, feeling him throb and I move my hand, pumping him slightly, earning another groan from him. I use my fingers to very gently move his foreskin back and forth over the tip and when I brush against the swollen head, he grips me tighter, almost trembling as he leaks precum. I spread it, creating a slick feel and he thrusts his hips into my hand.

His hands are all over, he gets my robe open and has one hand kneading my breast right away, the other sliding over my back and down to cup my behind. He pulls me closer and we meet skin to skin, his throbbing erection, hot and pulsing against my stomach. We kiss with passion and he grabs my waist, lifting me up on the end counter in the kitchen, our mouths still fused together.

A plastic bowl and a couple of spoons get knocked off the counter as he pushes me onto it. They make some loud sounds as they hit the floor. 

We both jump at the sound, but then look at each other and continue what we were doing.

It is passionate, desperate and a bit out of control. He pushes my robe off my shoulders and quickly drops his own on the floor, leaving us both naked. He is bulky and muscular right now for the role, he looks spectacular as he stands there for a second, before diving back in, kissing me hard and demanding. I return his kiss, opening my legs to him and pulling him closer. His hand is on my thigh and then between my legs, his fingers parting my folds and his thumb finding my sensitive knob. He hums as he feels his fingers getting wet from my arousal and he groans when he slides his index finger inside of me, feeling my walls clench around him.

My hands are everywhere, one is wrapped around his erection, him pulsing under my palm, the other is running over his smooth, waxed chest and then up to his neck, bringing him closer. Our breathing is picking up and I whimper when he circles my clit and caresses my vagina with his finger,pushing deep and slightly bending it. He is looking for that one spot and I moan breathless against his neck when he finds it "ohhh fuck, Rich....ohhhhh".

He twitches in my hand, throbbing and going even more rigid, slick drops leaking over my fingers. I cling to his shoulder as he picks up the speed, inserting another finger and adding more pressure with his thumb. He kisses me hard and then licks my throat, moving up to my ear, growling "come for me, love......fuck you are hot like this, please let me feel you come around my fingers".

I'm a total mess, the tension building and he can feel it. I bite his shoulder and cry out in pure pleasure, when the damn breaks "RIICHHHH! FUCK! OHHHHHH". I convulse and contract around him as the orgasm wrecks my body. 

Richard doesn't waste any time, but quickly withdraws his fingers and I know what he wants. I guide him quickly to my entrance and he penetrates me in one fluid stroke, prolonging my climax when he fills me completely. A deep moan rips from his throat and he is breathless against me, panting "ohhh god, love......ohhh you feel good........fuck I missed you" and he grabs my behind with both hands as I wrap my legs tightly around him.

It is wild and passionate as he starts to pound into me with force and we both know it wont last long. I grip his shoulder and back tight, talking dirty to him, knowing it drives him crazy "fuck, Rich......harder, love.....I love to feel your big cock fucking me.......more, Rich.....ohhhhh, give it to me!".

He groans and grunts loudly with each thrust of his hips, the movement making the counter bounce, sending a few more things to the floor with loud bangs. We could care less right now and I can tell he is close, his movements become more erratic, sweat forming on his forehead as he chases his release. 

Skin slaps against skin, the sound mixing with our moans and groans of pleasure. I feel him go even harder and then he pushes as deep as he can, coming hard with a loud shout "fuck,Lauren .......ohhhhhhhhhh god". He holds me firmly to him as he spurts over and over, his warm release flooding me. I cling to him, letting him ride it out and we finally meet in a deep kiss, both of us breathless.

I caress his back and he moves his hands up my spine, making me shiver and he presses tighter, his forehead against mine "holy shit....".

Nibbling at his lower lip, I grin "you can say that again...".

We stay like this for a few minutes, not talking a lot, but just exchanging tender and soft kisses. We both know how the other feels, so words are not really necessary. Richard finally reaches for a dishtowel and carefully pulls away from me, cleaning us up. He cups my face, looking concerned "did I hurt you.....I might have been a bit rough".

"No, you were just great......it was hot" and we embrace again, just holding each other.

He always gets very affectionate after we make love. He is always loving, but it becomes even more pronounced after we have sex. He kisses my naked shoulder and caresses my arms and back, whispering sweet nothings into my ear.

I giggle "Rich, stop it, it tickles" and we kiss again and I shiver.

Reaching for my robe that is laying on the floor, he drapes it over me "better put it back on, love.....don't want you to get sick". He gives me a hand so I can get off the counter and I pull on the robe as I feel the remnants of our love making running down my leg.

I reach for another towel and make a run to the bathroom "I'll be right back".

He looks guilty "sorry".

Calling over my shoulder "nothing to be sorry about, gravity wins in the end".

Richard picks up his robe and wraps it around himself again, running a hand through his bed hair and goes to make come coffee.

KNOCK  KNOCK  KNOCK

I come out of the bathroom and we look at each other confused.

A voice with authority calls through the door "Toronto PD, please open the door".

Richard looks at me "what the hell is going on?" and I follow him to the front door. I stand behind him and he opens it "yes, is there a problem?".

Two officers are outside, the one in the front looking us up and down and then a little embarrassed "can we come in for a moment?".

Swinging the door open, Richard gestures "of course...." and both of them enter. I notice the neighbors door being slightly open, but it shuts when I am looking. Richard closes the door behind the officers and turns to them "is something wrong? Can we help you?". 

The older officer looks at his feet and then at us "this is awkward and we don't want to embarrass you, but we got called out by your neighbors, an elderly couple......they thought someone was being murdered in here" and he turns a bit pink "uhmm.....I think it is obvious that is not the case".

I let out a laugh and take Richard's hand "uhm, not that is not the case......but wow......what made them think that?". Richard is blushing and I can feel how tense he is.

The younger officer smiles "they heard banging, things being knocked over and some screams.......".

Richard stammers "our deepest apologies.....I don't even know what to say....." and he gestures.

Both officers give him a sympathetic look and the older one pats his shoulder "no worries........it is not the first time we get called to something like this.......just maybe keep it down the next time.......and they honestly didn't know anyone was staying in the apartment, they thought it was empty".

"Well, because I'm just here for a few months, doing a TV show.....she is just visiting for the weekend".

They both tip their hats "well, enjoy your visit and sorry to bother you......have a good weekend".

I grin "oh we will.....sorry for the inconvenience......".

Richard shows them to the door, stammering a few more apologies and lets out a breath after he closes the door "bloody hell".

Breaking down into laughter, I look at him "wow......that was deeply humiliating and hilarious at the same time".

He mutters "mostly the former I think", but he does chuckle after seeing I find it highly amusing. Reaching out, he pulls me into his embrace, kissing me "you are bad".

"It was funny, Rich.......I wonder how much those people heard anyway".

"Well enough to think a crime was being committed in here..." and I follow him back in the kitchen. We pick up the mess and he pours coffee.

We enjoy a cup, just sitting, quietly talking and holding hands. He wants to hear all about the kids and what they are up to. I( bring him a couple of drawing Emma made for him and he sticks them to the fridge, taking a picture of them there, asking me to show her when I get back home. It is lovely to see how much he cares about them and I tell him how much it has meant to Elliott that Richard tries to check in every day and help with homework.

I look at him "you are a good dad, Rich".

He kisses the top of my head "I try, but often wonder if I am not involved enough, am I gone too much?".

"You are doing just fine.......you are a lot more engaged than most and they feel that, they know you are there for them, that means everything".

"I hope so....".

We get up after a while and take a shower, getting dressed in just very casual clothes and I finish making the pie, sticking it in the oven to bake. I fix BLT's for a late brunch, almost lunch and we have fresh pie for dessert.

Richard swallows the last bites, licking his fork clean and leaning back in his chair at the table "that was really good, love, thank you" and he leans in to kiss me.

"Your welcome".

We help each other clean up and then go in the living room plopping down on the couch. He does need to prep for next week, so he sits on one end, script in hand, quietly reading it over and making notes. I sit on the other end, reading my book and then actually dozing for a bit, it feels nice. He is holding my foot in his hand and caressing it, not even paying attention to what he is doing, it is just a habit. He stops scanning the script for a bit, looks over at me, seeing my eyes are closed and he smiles to himself. He gets a thoughtful look on his face as he sits and contemplates how his life has changed since he met me. 

He gets emotional and clears his throat, making me jump. I open my eyes and look at him, he squeezes my foot "sorry, love.....didn't mean to wake up".

I stretch and sit up, scooting closer to him and then realize his eyes are a bit misty. I cup his face "hey......you okay?".

Richard swallows and looks at me and smiles "yeah, yeah.......was just thinking and I feel so grateful, I can't even......", his voice trailing off.

"Shhh....I know, Rich......I know what you mean......I look at the pictures we had taken at Christmas time, of us and with the kids and it just is something....".

He pulls me close, kissing the top of my head and then plants a soft kiss on my lips "that picture of you and me, the black and white one where I'm standing behind you, my arms around you.....it sits on the nightstand by the bed, it is the last thing I look at before going to sleep".

We sit there, nothing more needs to be said, we both know how lucky we are and want to never take it for granted.

I wiggle out of his embrace after a bit "before I forget....did you want to sign those papers for the house sale, so I can bring them back to your lawyer?".

"Oh yeah, I forgot" and he grabs my arm "thanks for taking care of it.....one less thing for me to stress about".

"Always....let me go grab them" and I get up, walking in the bedroom for my carry on, finding the documents. Richard had listed his house right after Christmas and it sold quickly and I agreed to bring the papers for him to sign in person. I come back, handing him the folder "here......there is a sticky note with instructions".

He scoots up to the coffee table and quickly looks it over, chewing on his pen, which is a habit I find adorable. He quickly signs his name on all the papers that are highlighted and then hands them back to me "done".

I take them, looking at him "is it ok?".

"Yeah of course it is ok, Lauren.......why wouldn't it be?".

"Because you just sold your house, that was your home......".

"Was is the key word here, love......it has not been my home since I moved in with you, more like an over sized and rather expensive storage unit".

"True.....you haven't really lived there for a while".

"Exactly......our home is your house now and that is the way it should be" and he reaches over to kiss me again "I love you with everything I have.....I honestly never thought it could be like this and the bonus is those two rascals....they sure have brought a lot of joy".

"I love you too, Rich".

 

"Ohhhhhhhh......harder, Rich......fuck right there.......more......." and I grab the sheets for something to hold on to. I'm currently on all fours on the bed.

Richard has a firm grip on my hips as he thrust deep before slowly pulling out, plunging back in. Skin slaps against skin and he is a grunting mess "ughhh, fuck, ohhhh god.....ohhh, shit....close.......are you close?."

All I can do is nod my head, feeling my entire body tighten as coil. I feel his hand reach around and his thumb finds my swollen clit, rubbing it in circles in rhythm with his thrusting. It doesn't take long and I climax with a long moan, trying to muffle my pleasure "mmmbbfff........ohhhhhhhh fuck yes.........ohhhhh, Rich".

He feels my inner walls contract around him and that sends him over the edge, he empties everything he has deep inside of me, pulsing and throbbing, biting my shoulder trying to not to be loud as he reaches orgasm.

We are both completely out of breath, he wraps his arm around me, kissing my shoulder and neck. I turn my head so we can somewhat exchange a kiss on the lips. Richard guides us gently to the side, laying down and he finally slips from me, put pulls me close, not caring about the mess. We lay panting together and I slowly turn around so I can rest my head on his shoulder.

Richard finally lets out a breath "fucking hell, love......you'll be the death of me.........but shit that was good".

I smile and prop myself up to kiss him properly "I concur......".

"I'm not sure I'm ready to let you leave again".

"i'm not ready to leave either, but I am kind of needed at home" and I look at him, seeing the love in his eyes.

"I know you are, but I hope you know how much I love you....." and he cups my face.

"I do, Rich......" and we exchange another kiss.

Finally finding the strength, we get up, change the sheets and then get ready for bed, snuggling close together for the night.

 

5 weeks later:

Richard walks off the plane in Louisville, Kentucky and grabs his luggage before heading over to the rental cars. He loads his suitcase and carry on and gets in the car, adjusting his seat etc. Reaching for his phone, he plots in an address and then starts the car, driving out, trying to calm his nerves a bit. He didn't tell anyone he was doing is and he is nervous.

He drives for about 40 min., finally turning down a familiar looking road and passing under the sign *Tanner Arabians*, he is here. A white horse follows him up the road along the fence, dancing over the ground, neighing and shaking his head. Richard rolls down the window, driving slower "El Shaklan.......yes, I see you........".

Stopping the car by the house, he gets out, takes a deep breath and then goes over to the fence, greeting the majestic stallion, who nuzzles his chest and receives his affection with gratitude.

A voice calls from the porch "hey, who's here?".

Richard turns around and walks up "sorry, Mr. Tanner.....it's me.......I know I should have called".

"By golly.....what on earth are you doing here, Rich? And my name is Ted and I thought you were in Toronto? Lauren said you were leaving to come home tomorrow" and he comes down to give Richard a warm welcome and a hug.

"I know.....I sort of lied to her...." and Richard shuffles his feet, before looking back at my dad "I needed to make a detour and come talk to Marilyn and you before I return home to England".

My dad has a pretty good idea why he is here, he slaps him on the shoulder "well I'm sure surprised to see you, but you are most welcome" and he gestures "please come in.....". Richard follows in the house as my dad calls out "Mom....you will never guess who just arrived".

My mom sticks her head out from the kitchen, breaking into the smile "Rich! What on earth are you doing here?" and she runs over to hug him tight.

He returns the hug and kisses her on the cheek "Marilyn......great to see you........I had to come and have a word with Ted and you before I return to Lauren and the kids".

My parents exchange a knowing look and they all go in the sitting room. Richard sits down in the love seat across from my parents. They both look at him, my dad taking my mom's hand "what can we do for you, Rich?".

Richard takes another deep breath, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants, clearing his throat. This is worse than any audition he has ever been to. He gestures, words fail him again.

My mom encourages him "it's alright, darling.......".

He laughs nervously "ok....I hope so..." and another deep breath "as you know I have grown very close to Lauren and to Emma and Elliott. I love your daughter more than I thought I could love anyone and I love your grandchildren as they were my own".

My dad interrupts "yes, we saw your Christmas message on Twitter, it was very moving".

Putting her hand on his knee, my mom tells him to be quiet "shhhh, Ted......let Rich speak, honey".

"Sorry.....go ahead, Rich".

"No it is perfectly fine and thank you.........but that is how I really feel. I sold my house and have been living with them for a while now and I really feel it is only a natural next step....that we move forward.......together....", deep breath, picking at his hands and then looking straight at my parents "I have come to ask your blessing in asking Lauren to marry me".

Silence.

Richard holds his breath, until my mom jumps off the couch to rush over and hug him again and my dad breaking into a big grin, reaching over to shake Richard's hand with vigor. My mom sits down next to him in the love seat, looking at him with sincerity "Richard.....we kind of knew that is why you came here today and we have had a gut feeling this was coming....." and she looks at my dad and then back at him "there is nothing that would make us happier.......we know you love her and the kids so much and we have always hoped she would be lucky enough to find love again......with someone that would embrace those precious kids".

My dad chimes in "we are very happy to give you our blessing and we do hope we get to attend the wedding this time around".

They are laugh and Richard lets out a breath "I'll make sure of that.......and thank you".

My dad gets up "and now that is over with, I assume you would like a ride.......El Shaklan could use a good workout".

Richard hesitates "I don't know....I don't want to interfere with your day....I was just going to get a hotel, I leave tomorrow".

My mom touches his knee "nonsense, Rich......please enjoy the farm and I'm making dinner and you are sleeping here, no arguments".

"Yes, Ma'm" and he kisses her cheek before he gets up, following his future father in law out to retrieve a horse and enjoy the rest of the day.

 

The next day, London time:

Richard pulls up to a very familiar place, home sweet home. He pays the cab driver and retrieves his things. Walking up to the door, he finds his keys and lets himself in. Noises are coming from the family room, the TV and kids talking. He calls out "Emma, Elliott......I'm home".

A loud squeal pierces his ears "RICH" and Emma about knocks him over when she comes running, jumping into his arms. Elliott comes running too, a big grin on his face and he hugs him tight "Rich!".

"Hey pumpkin" and he kisses Emma and hugs Elliott again "I missed you".

"We missed you too" and Emma clings to him.

Richard looks around "where's your Mum?".

Elliott looks concerned "probably upstairs......I don't know what is wrong with her, but she has been very sick......she thinks we don't notice, but we are not stupid".

Emma nods "yeah, she throws up a lot....especially before school".

Richard gets a panicked look on his face, putting Emma down, holding up a hand "I'll be right back" and he takes the stairs two steps at a time, calling out "Lauren.......love, I'm home......are you alright?".


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is finally an update....so sorry for the long delay, but other stories took over and then I went on a long vacation.  
> Not sure if anyone if still reading, but if you are, Thank you and enjoy!

I flush the toilet, get up and go over to brush my teeth. I glance at myself in the mirror and sigh, I look like shit. I made it through the day and took the kids home, fixed them dinner and even ate myself and then the nausea set in again. I touch my lower stomach, this was certainly not planned, but I do feel happy and excited about it. Then I remember, he doesn't even know yet and what will he think? Will he freak out and leave? I think I know him better than that, but then again........I guess I will find out tomorrow when he finally comes back home, it has been a long 5 weeks since I saw him last.

Hearing loud footsteps and then a very familiar voice "Lauren, honey.....are you ok?".

I look up in surprise, spitting out the toothpaste and quickly rinsing my mouth, calling back "Rich? In the bathroom" and I turn just as he opens the door, looking sick with worry.

He rushes in and to my side, pulling me into his arms and hugging me tight, kissing the top of my head and mumbling into my hair "god, I missed you, love". I let out a sigh as the familiarity of his scent and body awakens in me. We just stand there in the bathroom for a few minutes before he finally holds me out, looking me in the eyes and kissing me softly on the lips. He cups my chin, his blue eyes still looking concerned "what's the matter? Kids say you are sick?" and he feels my forehead.

I touch his chin, the light scruff under my fingers "I can't believe you are home! You said you were coming home tomorrow".

"I changed my plans, I couldn't wait any longer to see you..." and he kisses me again, but then gives me a serious look "but you are not answering my question....you ok, what's wrong, have you seen a doctor?".

Taking his hand, I drag him to the couch in our bedroom, sitting down and he does too, looking at me with lots of questions. I take a deep breath "I'm fine and there is nothing at doctor can do or at least not anything I want done".

"What do you mean, love? I'm sure they can do something, you shouldn't feel this bloody awful..." and he wants to ramble on, but I squeeze his hand then look him straight in the eyes "this might come as quite the shock, Rich, but...I'm....." and words fail me.

"You're what, Lauren?" and he starts to freak out more, getting a panicked look and his face drops "oh my god.... you have cancer?".

I can't help but smile and shake my head, making a face "no...sorry if you got that impression".

Richard is relieved, letting out a breath "thank goodness......then what's the matter?".

"I'm...I'm pregnant...." and I watch his face intensely for his reaction.

Emotions play over his face, the words sinking in slowly "wh...wait....what?" and he looks stunned, gesturing "how..." and he waves his hand "well, I mean.....I know how....but I thought you couldn't....".

"I thought so too, but somehow your tadpoles or at least one of them found a way or my egg squeezed by or something.......must have happened when I visited you in Toronto".

He smirks "well, we did have a lot of sex".

I nod "we did" and I hesitate for a moment, then look at him in earnest "look.....I know it is not what you might want and certainly didn't expect, so if you need to think about if this is..." and my voice breaks, the emotions of what I'm actually saying bubbling to the surface "...where it.....if this is not in your plans.....then....." and I can't finish, tears welling up in my eyes.

Richard scoots closer, dropping to his knees in front of me by the couch, taking my head in his hands and looking me straight in the eyes, pain evident in his "don't even say that, love.......listen, I love you more than anything else in this world. Yes,I am surprised, but that is not a bad thing........but how do you feel about it? I know you thought you were done having kids" and he wipes a tear on my cheek with the pad of his thumb and then learns up to kiss me softly.

I kiss him back and the hug him tight, smiling at him and then pull him up to sit close to me. Our fingers lace together and I breathe a sigh of relief "well, I honestly didn't believe it at first....I thought I ate something bad, but when my breasts started to be tender, I knew what was up........I read online and I guess it is possible to still get pregnant, even when your tubes are clamped......obviously" and I gesture to my stomach.

Looking at our hands, he brings them up and kisses my knuckles "so where does it leave us....this.....?" and he looks at me.

"Like it was before, except for the fact we get to be parents one more time" and I smile "regardless of how you felt, I was going to keep it.....babies are always welcome.....".

He pulls me into his lap and hugs me, burying his face in my neck and hair "ohh love, I would never......I'm still at bit shocked by it, but I'm also ecstatic....I get to be a dad" adding "again" and he smiles back at me "do the kids know yet?".

Shaking my head, I touch his face, the slight scruff under my fingers "no, not yet.....should we tell them?".

"I don't know....."

"MUM"         "RICH"

The door busts open and Emma comes running in, jumping up on the couch and trying to get onto Richard's lap, where I am currently sitting. She crawls over me and is about to step on my mid section. 

Richard grabs her, lifting her on the other side "careful, pumpkin, don't want to hurt your Mum right now, sweetie.....".

She snuggles into him on the other side "sorry........but I just missed you".

"I missed you too, pumpkin" and he kisses the top of her head, putting an arm around her.

"Why haven't you come back down.......Elliott and I were waiting".

"I had to talk to your Mum for a while, she had something to tell me.....", he seeks my eyes and I nod before he continues "can you go get Elliott for us, we need to tell you guys something very exciting and special".

Emma nods, jumps off the couch and runs down the stairs, yelling at the top of her lungs "ELLIOTT! Mum and Rich want to talk to us!".

Richard looks at me, chuckling and then very carefully places a palm on my t-shirt clad stomach, saying softly "we are having a baby".

I snuggle into him and our lips meet in a soft kiss "yes we are".

The kids come back up and they jump on the bed, looking at us with expectation. Emma is bouncing around "so what do you need to tell us?".

Feeling Richard squeeze my hand, I clear my throat and look at them both "this might not be what you expected and both Rich and Mum are very surprised too, but you are going to be a big brother and sister.......Mum is having a baby with Rich, that is why I have been throwing up and sick". I wait and watch for their reaction, feeling Richard's hand slightly trembling in mine.

Emma's eyes go big and then she grins and jumps up, squealing "yes, I get a little sister!".

"Well, honey....we don't know if it is a boy or a girl yet".

"I don't care, I get to be a big sister" and she leaps off the bed and runs over to hug me.

Elliott looks at us stunned and then just bursts into tears, running over to hug us both and then clings to Richard, who gives me a confused look as he holds the sobbing child.

Touching Elliott's shoulder, I speak to him softly "ohhh, it's ok.......what's the matter? Are you upset about it, sweetie?".

He shakes his head and continues to sob for a minute, gulping for air, while Richard tries to soothe him too "it's ok......I got you".

Finally calming down, he looks at us both and then at Richard "so does that mean you wont leave us?".

We look at each other in shock and then at him, Richard finally speaking "what are you talking about? I would never leave you.........what made you think that?".

Elliott wipes his eyes "Nigel's dad is gone all the time like you and his dad came home and left his Mum last week, he is going to live in a different city with another woman".

Richard looks very serious and straight at Elliott "I'm sorry that is happening to Nigel, that is really hard, but that is not going to happen to you if I can help it.......I love your Mum very much and I love you and Emma too, you are my family and I would never move in with another woman, your Mum is the only woman I want to be with".

Elliott shoots back "well, I would hope so since you had sex with her to make a baby".

Emma pipes up "ewwwww......I don't want to hear about that.....Mum talked to me about it and it is so gross" and she makes a face, making us all laugh.

Blushing, Richard stammers "uhm...." and words fail him. 

I reach over to touch Elliott's hair "I'm sorry you were worried, sweetie, but no......Rich is not leaving ever, I will chain him to the oven downstairs to keep him, if I have to" and I wink at him.

He smiles "now that would be a story to tell at school" and he hugs us both.

"Now run back down and play for another 30 minutes and then it is bedtime". They both whine and protest loudly. I shake my head "no whining......you only have tomorrow and then it is Easter break". 

They leave and Richard looks at me "well, that went better than I thought......did you know about Nigel's dad?".

"No......Elliott didn't say anything.....but wow, such a hard thing for a kid to have to deal with....".

"Probably not harder than having their father pass away....." and Richard hesitates for a moment.

"What, Rich?....".

"Are they going to feel different, that I don't love them as much as my own kid?" and his forehead wrinkles in concern.

"I don't think so, because I know you love them as they were your own....they feel that too.....kids are pretty smart".

He gets thoughtful "yes I do.....and I never knew if I could or would even be a good father...".

"You are a great dad, Rich.....you should be proud, you have embraced those kids from the get go" and I snuggle into him, feeling his strong arm around my shoulder and listening to his steady heartbeat as I lean my head on his chest.

Kissing the top of my head, he hums "hmmm......I try, but Elliott does have a point about me being gone......this might have pushed the limit, 2 1/2 months is too long.......".

"It was long, I'm not going to lie to you and it was hard".

"Well, I will have to keep that in mind.....but at least I should be here for the rest of the year....maybe a quick job before the rehearsals start for the play" and he looks at me "when is the little one due?".

"Right before Christmas.....it will be a scheduled c-section" and I sit up to look at him.

He looks concerned "why? I mean, I know you had a c-section with Emma" and he touches my arm, finding my hand so he can hold it again.

I pause for a second and then look at him "I did.....", I drop my head.

Richard reaches out, lifting my chin "what, love? You know you can tell me anything....".

Nodding, I take a deep breath "i know.....I'm sorry......it's just very private and I feel funny about it.......".

"It's ok....".

"Emma was a scheduled c-section because when Elliott was born.....he was bloody big and he came out with his hand over his head....I tore so bad, through all my muscles, everything, it was a disaster" and I shudder.

Richard looks shocked "you did? Ouch doesn't even begin to cover that.......wow.....uhm don't know what to say..........".

"It was horrible and the doctor did a crap job stitching me back together, it was so painful and took forever to heal.....and the thought of ever having sex again just filled me with such dread. Luke was patient and we tried, but I just ended up in tears.....so I finally went to see a plastic surgeon and he redid it...".

"What? How?" and Richard looks disturbed.

"He basically went in and cut out all the scar tissue that had formed and then put me back together with tiny stitches. It wasn't fun, but I could feel a difference almost right away and it healed a lot faster. It took a bit, but I was finally able to have sex again and it felt good" and I blush slightly "it still does".

Richard's eyes goes a shade darker and he pulls me into his lap "mmmm....I missed you...." and we meet in a tender kiss, that soon deepens a bit and he groans as I settle over his crotch "ughhhh".

We kiss with passion for a few minutes before we have to break for air. Our noses are touching and I look into his eyes "so yeah, that is why it will be a scheduled c-section......there is no way I'm taking the chance of ruining what the surgeon did".

"Well, he did a good job...I had no idea...." and he shifts under me "you always felt perfect to me" and we kiss again, the lust igniting between us. Richard's hands go up under my shirt and I feel goosebumps as he touches my naked skin, his fingers feeling warm and sensual.

I finally tear my mouth away from his, panting "the kids.......they need to go to bed".

He nods "I know" and he lifts an eyebrow "maybe I can take you to bed after?".

"I'm sure that can be arranged" and we kiss again, before I reluctantly get up and give him a hand.

Richard pulls me into his arms, embracing me, whispering "I love you so much......" and he takes my hand as we go downstairs.

We help each other get the kids in bed. Richard hauls his suitcases upstairs and I sort through them, starting laundry as he reads to Emma. I smile as I put his folded clothes away in the closet, funny how quickly we just fall into the routine of being a family.

Richard comes back in as I put his toiletry bag on the counter in the bathroom. He looks alarmed "I could have done that, unpacked....it is my mess and should you even be doing that?".

I laugh "I'm pregnant, Rich, not disabled......I don't mind, I had a load of laundry to run anyway".

He wraps his arms around me from behind and kisses my neck "but you didn't feel well earlier".

Snuggling into his embrace, I turn to kiss him on the lips "it comes and goes, I feel totally fine most of the time....".

"It goes away, right? The sickness part..." and I turn around in his arms to look at him, which makes him stammer "I..I don't know much about any of this pregnancy stuff.....only what I have heard here and there".

I smile "it's fine and yes, usually it does, everyone is different....but I usually feel totally fine around the 3 month mark, so I have a ways to go.....I'm pretty textbook when it comes to my pregnancies".

"I guess I need to do some research" and he looks determined.

"Don't do too much......it will just freak you out, but there is a cool app for your phone that tells you what the baby looks like and what it is doing, I thought you would like that".

"That sounds brilliant" and he kisses me again "now as promised.....can I take you to bed after I have a quick shower, I'm sure I stink".

"You don't stink, Mr. Armitage, but how about a bath instead......with me?" and I wiggle out of his arms to go turn on the faucet to the big tub.

"I'm in" and he sheds his clothes in record time.

I giggle "eager beaver, are we now?" and I lazily remove my clothes too, throwing them on the floor, standing naked before him.

He walks up to me, pulling me into his arms and kissing me softly "you are beautiful, love and I missed you".

Our kiss deepens and I run my hands down his strong back, cupping his behind, pulling him closer. His erection is pressing into my stomach and I smile into his mouth "I think someone else missed me too".

"Bad pun, Lauren......bad" and his voice changes, going lower "but yes he did......a lot" and he groans into my mouth when I reach between us, to wrap my fingers around his hard shaft, feeling him pulse "ughhh......ohhhh" and he whimpers as I play with his foreskin. I brush over his tip, being rewarded with drops of precum, which I proceed to spread, making him slick. 

His fingers finds my center and I moan when he dips them between my folds and I suck on his collarbone, biting back a whimper "ohhh fuck".

Capturing my lips in a hungry kiss, he growls into my mouth "change of plans......bath will have to wait" and he steps away, shutting off the water and then picks me up in the next move, making me yelp "Rich! Your back......careful".

Growling "I'm fine" right before he captures my lips in a demanding kiss again, his mouth devouring mine and he plunges his tongue into my mouth, as he lays me on the bed. He is over me like a predator and I grab his face, returning the deep kiss and my legs automatically go up and wrap around his narrow hips, pulling him down. We both moan as his hard cock makes the first contact with my wet folds and our entire bodies meet skin to skin. 

I arch up, running my hands down his broad back and he kisses my throat when I throw my head back. "Ohhh, Rich.....please....." and I move my hips which makes him grunt as he sensitive head slides over my swollen clit. He supports himself with one arm, pushing up to look at me "you sure it is ok? You are pregnant......".

"So? The baby is tiny and doesn't care.......but if it will bother you.....".

Capturing my lips again, he mumbles "hell no, just don't want to hurt you or the baby.....".

When we break, I look him in the eyes "I want you......I need you......I'm tired of using my toys.....they are nothing compared to this" and I reach to grab his cock.

He pushing into my hand and moans, giving me a painful look "fuck, love.....you have no idea how much the thought of that turns me on......".

I smirk "oh I think I have an idea, after I sent you the naughty picture with the pink vibrator.......you sent me a picture of your dick encased in your fist....it was hot".

Richard's mouth is on my collarbone and he huffs out "I had to go jerk off in my trailer after you sent me that......ughhhh fuck yes....more, love...." and he slides in and out of my fist a few times. He kisses me again and then moves out of my grip "allow me, darling..." and he kisses the top of my breasts and very gingerly cup one in his hand "does it hurt? You said they were tender....".

"Mmm.......usually just in the morning......ohhhhhh" and I arch my back as he kisses each orb and then places his mouth over one nipple, sucking gently. It goes straight to my core, making me throb in desire. He trails kisses down my stomach, after sucking on my other nipple too. He places both hands below my belly button, whispering "my baby" and he looks up at me for a second, before scooting down and gently spreading my legs. I know where he is heading and I draw up my knees in anticipation and then place my feet on either side of his shoulders. He grunts when he sees how wet I already am and then leans up and kiss my swollen clit, making me buck my hips.

I grab his hair, which is rather short right now from the role "ohhh, Rich.....please.........ooohhhhhhhh" and he flattens his tongue, licking me from opening to clit and then rasping over my sensitive bundle of nerves. It feels incredible. My breathing picks up quickly as my body starts to tighten. "Rich......ohhhh, please don't stop......ohhhhh....fuck......more........ohhhhhhhhh fuck yes......ohhhhhhh" and I climax with a sob, my entire body releasing in violent shudders. 

He continues to stimulate me gently with his tongue, drawing it out as long as possible. I tug on his hair and he moves back over me and we meet in a passionate kiss as I reach for him, guiding him to my entrance. I watch as pure pleasure wash over his face as he penetrates me to the hilt and he squeezes his eyes shut "ohhh god" as I clench around him. We both know this wont last long, he is so hard. 

We lock eyes for a moment before he starts to move, setting a steady rhythm with his hips, thrusting as deep as he can. It feels so good to be filled by him and I throw my head back, moaning in pleasure "ohhhhh....so good.......fuck me harder, Rich.......ohhhhhhh".

Sweat is forming on his forehead and he chases his release, but is determined to try and drive me there again, feeling I'm tethering on the edge already, the way I'm sounding and moving with him. He reaches down with one hand, lifting my behind a bit, adjusting his thrusts, watching me closely.

His breath is ragged and his movements becoming more erratic "fuck you feel good.......so wet and tight......come for me, love.....I need to feel you cum for me again.....".

I concentrate on the sensations he is bringing to my pelvic region and how good his hard cock feels as he fucks me. The tension is quickly building and he senses it, thrusting a little harder and he hits me just right, sending me into orgasm with a scream "RICH!" and I contract violently around him.

"That's it, love.......ohhhhh fuck.......I'm gonna cum.......ohhhhhhhhhhhhh god" and he empties everything he has as he climaxes. We cling to each other as he pulses and throbs deep inside of me and then both relish in the post orgasmic bliss. 

Richard head is buried in my neck and I run my hands softly over his back, feeling him relax. Our breathing returns to normal and he finally lifts his head, looking at me with so much love. Our lips meet in a tender kiss and he moves a strand of hair out of my face "I love you".

"I love you too, Rich".

We stay like this for a few more minutes before he reaches for a towel in the nightstand, very carefully withdrawing from me and cleaning us both up. He wipes me softly, sitting between my legs and he gently traces a finger by my opening "is that where you were stitched?".

"Yeah....if you can see a faint dark line".

"I can.......but I must say that surgeon deserves a medal, I hadn't noticed before and you feel perfect.....".

"It does feel perfect....he did do a good job....I'm grateful.......I mean, sex is not everything, but.....".

He tosses the towel in the bathroom and scoots up, wrapping me in his arms and kissing me "it is really, really nice........at least with you....." and he smirks.

I look surprised "wasn't sex good before, with your other partners?".

Letting out a breath, he thinks for a minute, stroking my hair as I rest my head on his shoulder "it was ok....I mean, I got off.....but with you, it is hot as fuck....even after we have been together for this long and it feels deeper and I can totally let go.....".

"That's good......it should be that way......" and we kiss again, just enjoying being together.

After a bit, he helps me up and we join each other in the tub, he is sitting with his back against the side with me between his legs, my back against his strong chest. Our fingers are laced together and my head is back. He rubs my stomach softly "I can't believe there is a baby in there".

I snort "well you will believe it once I resemble a small killer whale".

"You will be beautiful........".

"Ha....very funny, Rich.......there is noting cute about looking like a baby elephant".

"Well, we will see.....I think you will be just fine....". We relish in the warm water and each other. He kisses my neck "so what is your plans for tomorrow, you are not off are you?".

"I had taken the afternoon off to come pick you up in the airport, remember? The kids are going to their grandparents, since it is Friday, but no, I'm not off all day. I would call in, but I need to at least get one dress totally finished in the morning, before it is Easter".

"It's ok, love.....I need to go check in with my management company tomorrow and run a few errands......do we need anything for Easter?".

I look at our intertwined hands "no, I ordered the ham and it will be delivered tomorrow, your folks are bringing side dishes and your sister in law the dessert for Easter dinner. I'll make rolls and a salad".

"Treats for the kids?".

"Already done......".

"I don't know what I would do without you, love" and he squeezes me.

"No biggie....." and I turn in the tub to look at him "do you want to tell your parents I'm pregnant or want to wait?".

"We better tell them......my Mum will be so excited.......did you tell your parents?".

Shaking my head "no...but I figured we could tell them when we Skype them to wish them Happy Easter".

"That would be nice..." and his face wrinkles in concern "Luke" parents.......I mean, we have to tell them...".

"Of course we do.......we can tell them after we tell our own parents".

"Will they resent it?" and his eyes seek out mine.

"Oh no....I think they will be very happy for us........they really like you and adore how you treat Elliott and Emma as your own".

"I can't imagine not to....they were part of the package".

"Thank you......thank you for loving us all, Rich".

"I love you more, darling and thank you.......for holding the fort down, giving me a stable base to return to and a real home".

We exchange another kiss. 

The water is finally getting cold, so we reluctantly get out, run through our bedroom routine and are soon asleep, Richard spooning me from behind, one of his protective hand's placed over my stomach.

 


	26. Chapter 26

I wake up the next morning, finding a warm body pressed next to me. Richard's arm is wrapped tightly around my torso and his nose is pressed into my shoulder. He is breathing evenly and still fast asleep. I lay there for a few moments, relishing in the feeling of having him back home and next to me, I missed that so much.

Rolling over, I slowly sit up as he groans and opens his eyes, reaching for me, finding my hand "nmmmm........morning, love......sleep ok?".

Waves of nausea ripples through my body and I close my eyes and squeeze his hand. He bolts out of bed, butt naked and rushes over on my side, kneeling and looking concerned "you alright, love?".

I shake my head and look at him "just feel sick.....sprite and crackers help". He nods, getting up "I'll be right back" and he runs for the door, I call out "Rich" and he stops, turning as I continue to speak, pointing "there is sprite in the mini fridge over there" and I reach for the crackers in my nightstand drawer, giving him a faint smile "besides, you might have scared the kids for life if you ran downstairs like that".

He looks down, realizing he is naked "ohhh.....I forgot......" and he walks over to the built in fridge by the bookcase and the couch, getting a cold drink out and bringing it back to me. He sits down next to me, opening it and offering it to me.

"Thanks" and I chew a few crackers, sipping on the fizzy drink, waiting for it to settle my stomach down. It takes a few minutes, but I finally feel better. 

Putting his arm around my naked shoulder, he kisses the top of my head "sorry, love........".

"It's ok......it'll pass in time......" and we meet in a sweet kiss.

He crawls back in bed, pulling me with him, I giggle as he kisses my neck and I end up underneath him. He covers me with his warmth and we just hold each other, he murmurs into my neck "god, I missed you, love".

"I missed you too, Rich" and he moves a strand of hair out of my face before he kisses me tenderly. I wiggle under him, adjusting my body, opening my legs and I sigh as his half hard length nestles in my folds. 

It is not lost on him and he moans, going fully hard in an instant "ughh....don't tease....." and he glances at the alarm clock on the nightstand "I assume the kids will get up in a minute and you are not feeling well".

We kiss again, me relishing in how he tastes and feels against me "I'm fine as long as I'm laying down and the kids wont get up for another 20 minutes.......remember they were up a bit late last night".

He chases my tongue back in my mouth, smirking "well in that case...." and he effortlessly slips inside of me. We hold each other tight and he sets a steady rhythm as we try to keep the noise level down. 

I wrap my legs tight around him, enjoying the feel of his cock sliding in and out of me, bringing me incredible pleasure. He muffles our moans with his mouth as he aims for that one spot that will undo me. He reaches down, lifting up my rear and thrusts harder. I arch my back, gripping his shoulder tight and then come undone, the orgasm washing over my body and he lets out a satisfied groan as he comes too, flooding me with his warm release.

We are intertwined and his head is nuzzled in the crook of my neck. I lazily run my hands over his back, just enjoying the closeness we share. 

"MUM! RICH!" and the door busts open, Emma running in. 

Richard freezes, we are covered with a sheet, but he is still very much buried inside of me. I hold on to him, briefly locking eyes with him and then turn my head as Emma comes into view "hi sweetie.....morning".

"Morning..." and she tilts her head "what are you guys doing? Why is Richard on top of you, Mum?".

"We are just loving each other, we missed each other a lot when Rich was gone" and I kiss him, feeling him twitch. I squeeze my internal muscles, earning a warning look from him.

"Well, I miss Rich too.....I'm hungry...." and she looks at me with expectant eyes.

"Ok, I'll come fix you breakfast in a minute.......go wake up your brother and we will be right down, alright?".

"Okay......" and she looks at Richard "I'm happy you are back".

"Me too, pumpkin" and he tries to smile and act normal.

She wanders out of the room and as soon as she is out the door, Richard quickly slips from me, bolting over to close and lock the door "bloody hell......that was close".

I sit up slowly, giving him a smile "yeah, if she had come in 3 minutes earlier, it might have ruined it all.....".

He comes over, giving me a hand, pulling me up and into his arms, We embrace and share a tender kiss "no shit......how are you feeling?".

"Better......we should shower really fast".

Nodding, he drags me in the bathroom and we quickly shower to get ready for the day, which is hard when you have to stop every 2 minutes to kiss and touch each other. He hands me a towel and go to get dressed. I dry off and twist my hair into a loose bun, finding a sparkling hairclip in the drawer to hold it with. I walk in the closet, opening the underwear drawer as he comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around me, kissing my neck "mmmmm.....have something sexy in there to wear?".

Turning my head, I kiss him and wrap my arm around his jean clad behind, pinching it "horny bastard......".

"I know, love....but I haven't seen you for a while, I missed you" and he moves his hands over my naked body, up to softly cup my breasts "I missed this....".

Arching into him, I moan "fuck, Rich....they are so sensitive right now.....ohhhh......." and I feel myself clench in arousal.

He presses himself closer, groaning when he hears me moan "ughhh........don't have time.....but later, I promise I'll make sweet love to you.....tonight" and we kiss again, before he very reluctantly lets me go "I'll go start making breakfast for the kids".

I nod, feeling grateful he is back home. I finish getting dressed, putting on jeans and a pretty blouse, reminding myself to be happy my pants still fit.

We share a quick breakfast and Richard insists on taking the kids to school, telling me to just go to work and maybe we can meet for lunch somewhere. I kiss the kids goodbye and then he pulls me into his arms, kissing me silly, making me giggle.

"EWWWW! Mum, Rich....stop, don't want to be late for school" and Elliott gives us a disgusted look.

They get loaded in his car and they leave.

I hurry and throw the dishes in the dishwasher and then head out to work, hoping I can get done quickly.

 

We are sitting at one of our favorite lunch places in London, tugged in the corner. Richard came to pick me up at BBC at noon, blushing when he was congratulated by Ellen with the upcoming title of father. She had known from the get go, since I was so sick, I had to tell her right away, but she was just thrilled for us.

Richard ordered old fashioned meat pie, mumbling how much he missed English food. I got a salad, my obsession with blue cheese has taken on a whole new meaning since I got pregnant. He looks at me "good?".

"Yes, very......how is yours?".

"Delicious, missed good ol' English cooking while gone...." and he takes another bite, making a happy face. "So are you done with work?".

"No, not quite, maybe a couple of more hours.........what are you up to this afternoon?".

"Uhmm.....need to go see my management team and tie up a few loose ends, probably look at the fan mail" and he makes a face "it has piled up is what they tell me".

"I bet it has......" and I eat another chunk of blue cheese with bacon "so what are you talking to your management team about? I thought the play was pretty much set in stone....".

He shifts in his seat and looks down, then back up, avoiding my eyes "well, yeah......it is........I just need to look over the contract again and talk about what else they have in mind.....".

Thinking his behavior is a bit odd, I shrug and let it go, not in the mood to get into anything with him today "ok.....I guess we will just meet at home then? Remember that the kids are going to the Roberts' today, it is Friday".

Smirking, he takes my hand on the table "I know......which means we get the house to ourselves" and he leans over to kiss me.

"We do...what do you want for dinner? Sadly, wine is off limits for me, but you can still indulge".

"Ohhh I guess, I'm sorry....".

"It's fine....whatever is best for the little one".

He nods "I agree......uhm, I don't know, maybe just some charcuterie with some cheeses and a good loaf of bread? I missed a good stilton".

"We can do that, I'll stop on the way home".

We finish eating and Richard asks for the check. After paying, we both get up and he takes my hand as we walk through the restaurant, towards the entrance. We pass a table of women and there is a loud shriek "oh my god.......Richard Armitage?" and this lady jumps out of her seat.

Stopping, Richard nods "well yeah...." and makes a motion to keep walking, but she puts a hand on his arm, stopping him.

"Oh my.....can you please sign something? We are all big fans!" and she motions to the rest of the table. She completely ignores the fact he is still holding my hand and with me. I gently let go of his hand, stepping over to the side and I catch the mortified look of one of the other ladies at the table. I just smile, assuring her it is ok.

Richard obliges, signing her piece of paper and a couple more, then pose as phones are pulled out. I look around, luckily the restaurant is not quite busy yet, we went a little early, so it is not quite causing a scene.

The uncomfortable woman gets up and comes over, saying quietly "I'm really sorry for the fuss and the interruption.....she is so rude".

"It's ok.....don't worry, it comes with him from time to time.......".

"I bet it does, but not everyone is rude like her..." and she extends her hand "I'm Laura".

"Nice to meet you, I'm....".

She cuts me off "I know who you are and I'm happy for you both, you are cute together and he seems so much more content".

"Thank you....."

"You are welcome"  and she poses with Richard and I introduce them "Rich, please meet Laura".

He shakes her hand and gives her a genuine smile, which I see the rude woman does not find amusing at all. He excuses himself, taking my hand and practically runs out of there. We get back in the car once the valet brings it and he lets out a breath, looking at me "bloody hell.......not even home for a day........haven't missed that".

Putting a hand on his knee, I kiss him "relax.......at least they weren't outside our home".

Turning on the engine, he snorts "well, if that ever happens, we are moving.....there is a limit".

"I know there is, but have you thought about the play and stage door".

He sighs "yeah.....I don't know......it's like if damned if I do and damned if I don't".

We talk about it a little more as he drives me back to work. He kisses me goodbye "see you soon, love".

"Good luck with your business meeting" and I get out, waving as he drives off, funny enough in the opposite direction as his management office.

Reaching for my phone, I shrug it off. I just check email and then my Twitter notifications. I'm being followed by several new people, I recognize the women we saw today. Laura tweeted to me, tagging Richard "so nice to meet you both today".

People have pounced on that along with the picture the rude woman posted of her and Richard. She is getting into it with a few of the other fans, saying that Richard is single and we were probably just having a business meeting, but then Laura chimes in, tagging us and her "well, he was holding Lauren's hand when they walked by, reached for it again as they left". I smile and just like her tweet, I try to stay out of all the madness, but sometimes you just have to say something.

 

Richard is driving, trying to settle his nerves and calm down. He feels he has to do this, but the closer he gets, the less he thinks it is a good idea. He pulls up in front of the beautiful estate style home, shuts off the engine of his car and takes a deep breath. Fuck this is nerve wracking. He wipes his sweaty palms on his jeans, another deep breath and then he gets out of his car, waking up the wide steps to the front door, ringing the door bell.

He hears footsteps and the door opens, a familiar face looking surprised "Richard! Did you just get home? Lauren said you were coming home today".

"I actually came home yesterday" and he shifts his feet.

"Oh they have missed you......everything alright?".

"Yeah.....I'm sorry to just come unannounced, but I need a word with you and Mr. Roberts, please?".

"Ohh sure, please come in.......it is good to see you" and she hugs him.

"Good to see you too, Mrs. Rob....I mean Mary".

"I think Frank is in the sun room, reading the bloody stocks again" and she walks through the spacious home, passing a big living room with lush furniture. Richard follows her, still sort of in awe of this very elaborate home. They enter a beautiful sun room with sweeping views of the yard behind the house, actually more like a park. A man is sitting over in the corner by the fish pond, reading behind a paper. Mary speaks up "Frank.....we have company.......Richard would like a word".

Franks mumbles behind the paper "Richard who, dear?".

She rolls her eyes, giving Richard an apologetic look "Richard...Armitage.....Lauren's boyfriend.......your grandchildrens stepdad.....".

He finally puts the paper down, lighting into a smile, standing up and reaching for Richard's hand "Rich......welcome home.......thought you were coming home this afternoon.....good to see you.......please" and he gestures to the chair across from him.

"I took an earlier flight home....I missed them all".

"Well, they missed you terrible too.....Emma cried most Fridays because she said she missed you".

The guilt hits Richard like a ton of bricks "oh god...".

Mary pats his shoulder, before taking a seat next to her husband "don't beat yourself up about it.......that's part of your job......".

He snorts "well, maybe that needs to change.....it is too hard on them......" and then he adds "and on me".

Frank looks at him "you love them more than anything else, don't you?".

Richard picks at his fingers "yeah, more than I thought was possible.....they are my entire life.....I don't know what my life would be like without them.....Lauren is wonderful and so are the kids......I'm a lucky man".

"Yes you are.....and I'm glad you know that" and Frank looks at him "what can we do for you? You are not having problems are you?".

"Oh no, no......not at all...." and Richard takes a deep breath, looking at them both "I know I don't need your permission, but I feel it is the right thing to do.......or at least let you know......I...I....intend to ask Lauren to marry me".

Silence.

They both look at him and then Mary gets up, her eyes glassy and she walks over to embrace him "ohhh Rich.......that is wonderful....we are so happy for you all".

Frank nods, getting a little misty eyed and reaches over to shake Richard's hand again "congratulations and yes, we are both bloody happy about it......" and he takes a breath, his voice cracking "this is what Luke would have wanted.......he expressed how much he hoped she would find love again and someone to be there for his children".

Richard is fighting his emotions, his voice low, croaking "thank you....it means a lot.....it would be difficult if you did not think this was a good thing, but you have been so welcoming and supportive from the beginning.....".

"Well, it was obvious from the minute we met you at the hospital, when Elliott broke his arm, that you care about them all, not just Lauren".

Mary returns, after stepping out after hugging Richard. She comes back over, handing him a sealed envelope "here.....Lauren doesn't even know this exists......Luke wrote that before he passed.......we'll give you some privacy to read it" and they both get up and leave.

Richard sits, staring at the envelope, the word "husband" written on the outside. His fingers tremble as he carefully opens the envelope, breaking the seal. He unfolds the paper, begins to read and finds himself laughing and crying as he scans the words:

_Dear Future Husband of Lauren,_

_If you are reading this, first of all, congratulations! You are the luckiest bloke on this planet, because you get to spend it with her by your side. Yes, her, my beloved Lauren......and you also did the right thing and actually went and talked to my folks, so kudos for that!_

_I don't have much to say other than you have my blessing! I wish you a lifetime (a bloody awful word really) of happiness with her! You know by now what a wonderful, loving, caring and overall good woman she is. I didn't deserve her and neither do you, but for whatever reason, she did choose us and I hope you do your best to make her happy every day!_

_Yes, I know she is way too organized and she yells at you when you get too messy or don't pay attention to the details. Know that I feel your pain when she rolls her eyes at you, as you frantically try to put your clothes away or you have put the stuff away wrong in the fridge!_

_But then you will also know, that it is worth it because it is her. You know she loves a good book, beautiful clothes, flowers and a wedge salad. You know how she lights up a room with her smile or how she makes you feel when you take her to bed. How she holds you and make sure you know how much she loves you._

_She is an amazing mother and you must be a good person, since she chose you to help raise our children. Elliott and Emma. Please look after them, love them and treat them like they are yours! This is what fills me with the most pain, anger and regret, that I wont be there for them and be there to help her._

_Please don't look at this as some sort of "make you feel guilty" letter, it is NOT meant that way. It is meant to let you know that I hoped this day would come, that she found someone to share her life with and be happy. She deserves this!_

_Congratulations and my best wishes of a long and happy life with her!_

_Luke_

Richard finishes the letter and wipes his eyes. He just sits quietly for a while, trying to process it. 

Mary and Frank come back out, Mary touching Richard's shoulder "you alright?".

He sniffles, clears his throat "yeah......just a bit overwhelmed and deeply moved" and he hands them the letter "I think you should read it.......please".

They sit together on the couch, reading the words from their son, letting their emotions run free, both wiping tears. Frank looks at Richard "thank you.......thank you for sharing this and for loving them".

Richard can't get a word out, he just stands up and they all embrace, sharing a very special moment together, where words are not needed.

Mary finally speaks, wiping her tears "well......that was emotional, but thank you, Richard....." and she looks at him "so when are you asking her?".

"On Sunday, Easter morning......I will put the ring in her basket......I picked it up from the jeweler this morning.......the same one that Luke use to buy her things from".

"That's lovely, did you get her a big honky ring?" and she touches Richard arm "and just so you know, I know Lauren never loved that engagement ring from Luke.......it just wasn't her style".

Richard smiles "no, I got her a band, one she can wear whenever, one that wont snag on things".

"Smart man.......will you tell the kids?".

"Yeah, I have to find a way to talk to them before, just so they are not caught by surprise.......maybe tomorrow when we come get them from you and go riding.....Lauren can't ride right now......" and he realizes right then, that he said too much.

Frank's eyes go up "what? Why? She loves to ride.....".

Richard sits down and is relieved when they do too. He runs his hand through his hair, taking a deep breath "well, I just screwed up, so please don't say anything to anyone, we aren't ready to tell yet......but....but....Lauren is pregnant and no, that was no planned".

"What? She had her tubes clamped after Emma....." and Mary looks confused.

"Well, yeah she did.....but I guess it is not fool proof..." and Richard blushes, not really feeling like his sex life with me should be discussed with other people.

She smiles "well, I was wondering since the kids mentioned she was sick and things, but I also know Emma has a very vivid imagination....".

Richard chuckles "yes she does, but no....you were not just hearing things.....and we are both excited about it, even though it was not what we expected".

"That's wonderful......she is a great mom and you have been a wonderful dad to the kids" Franks chimes in.

"She is amazing........we were both very surprised, but as she said, babies are always welcome.....".

Mary nods "yes they are and this one must really want to join your family".

They sit and talk a bit longer, before Richard excuses himself and leaves, after several more hugs and handshakes. 


	27. Chapter 27

"MUM! RICH! Happy Easter" and the bed bounces as Emma comes running in, jumping up on it, barely missing both of us currently occupying it. 

Richard reaches out and catches her, his voice hoarse from being jolted awake "careful, pumpkin.....don't want to jump on your mum's tummy, remember there is a baby in there".

"Sorry...I forgot" and she looks guilty.

I roll over, knowing I will get sick if I sit up "it's ok.....soon you wont forget because mum will look like a baby elephant".

Emma laughs.

Richard looks at her and points "hey, can you go get a fizzy drink for your mum over in the fridge, it helps her not feel sick".

"Sure" and she jumps down and brings me back a Sprite and Richard hands me a couple of crackers after sitting up in bed, the sheet tugged around him, he is very much naked.

I drink and eat a little and then slowly sit up, leaning my head against the headboard.

He looks at me "you ok?".

"Yeah, it really helps....thank you" and I smile at them both.

Emma exclaims loudly as the sheet falls down my front "Mum! You have blue blood.....look at the stripes on your boobies" and she points.

"No, honey....it is just because mum's body is preparing for the baby and I will have milk remember, to feed the baby, so my breasts will get bigger".

Richard pipes up "really?" and he looks excited. 

I elbow him "yes, really".

Emma jumps up and down on the bed "can you come down so we can look in our baskets and eat breakfast?".

"Is Elliott up?".

"Yes, he told me to go get you two sleepyheads up".

"Ok, be good and go downstairs and we will be down in a minute".

"Okay, but hurry...." and she runs out of the room.

Richard bolts out of bed, closing and locking the door "remind me to wear something to bed or lock the door".

"Well, if I recall, we pretty much collapsed against each other after some mind blowing sex, that is why we are both naked and there is a dirty towel thrown halfway to the bathroom".

He smirks and comes back over, kneeling on my side and kissing me "mmmmm......it was really nice".

"Yes, it was, Rich".

Tracing my collarbone with his finger, he touches the top of my breasts "you do have darker veins right now".

"Yeah, some women get that when they are pregnant and then their boobs expand in size and yes, you might like it, but once it becomes a milk factory, it is not that sexy".

"You will always be sexy to me, love and nothing sexier than you doing what your body is meant to do".

We kiss again before he helps me up and we go get dressed in lounge wear, both wearing robes to come down for breakfast.

I set the Easter breakfast table last night and put out the kids baskets with goodies and one for Richard, filled with his favorite candy and cologne. I ordered a pretty floral center piece from my favorite florist and it is adorning the middle of the table.

We sit down for a minute, watching the kids open their stuff and taking great joy in their happiness. Richard reaching for my hand under the table, our fingers just lacing together. He leans over to kiss me and I smile "now, you can open your basket".

He unties the ribbon surrounding the pastel tissue hiding the basket and looks delighted as he takes out the things inside. He kisses me again "thank you......and thank you, Emma and Elliott".

They both grin and Emma seems extra jumpy "can we go get Mummy's Easter basket now, Rich.....please?".

I'm not sure what is going on, but he smiles and nods "yes, you may.....but be careful, ok?".

They bolt off to Richard's library and I look at him "what's happening?".

He kisses my knuckles, squeezing my hand "you'll see, love".

The kids return, carefully carrying a basket, wrapped in silver tissue paper. They bring it to me and Elliot looks at me "this is from Rich" and they go sit down.

I hold it, looking at him and he nudges me "please open it.....it wont bite, I promise". Carefully unwrapping it, a elaborate half chocolate egg comes into view and inside is a silver, velvet box. Richard lets go of my hand "open it, darling....".

My hands are shaking as I reach for the box, prying it open and letting out a loud gasp when I see what is inside. I look up, the tears coming when I see Richard kneeling in front of me, taking my hands and I shake my head "ohh Rich....".

His voice is filled with emotion and cracking "Lauren......love......I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone.....I would be the happiest man on this planet, if you would do me the honor of becoming my wife.........will you marry me?".

I nod and then burst into tears, crying and laughing "yes...yes, I will marry you". We meet in a searing kiss and then he reaches in and slips the shiny band on my finger and I look at the stunning ring. It looks like a band of pure ice, emerald cut diamonds sparkling all the way around "ohhh Rich, it is gorgeous".

"I had help from Leo at the jewelry place........we talked a lot about what you are like and what you didn't like about your other ring........so this is set with split prongs, so you hardly see them, it is just pure sparkle".

"I love it" and I look at him and the kids are clapping and grinning "did you know he was going to do this?".

They both come over to hug me and Elliott nods "yeah....Rich talked to us about it yesterday when we went riding". He wipes his eyes, sniffling.

"You ok, Elliott?" and I look concerned and Richard reaches for him "what's the matter, buddy? You upset about it now?" and he sounds worried.

Elliott shakes his head and then hugs us both "no...not at all......I'm just happy......I get to have a dad" and he looks nervous at Richard when he says that.

Richard just melts and I can tell he is deeply moved, he pulls Elliott tight, wrapping his arms around him and squeezing him, his voice breaking "yes, you do".

Emma breaks the spell by just cutting in, getting in my face for attention "yes, we went with him to pick out the Easter egg for you......do you like it, Mum?".

"Yes, I do like it, but I like my ring better".

We all share another hug and Richard wipes his eyes too and leans down to kiss me again "and your folks know and so does Luke's parents".

"What, how...when?".

"I stopped at your parents on the way home from Toronto......took them by surprise and I talked to Luke's folks on Friday....I didn't have a meeting with my management team.....that is not until next week".

"Liar......." and I laugh "but I forgive you.......I was wondering why you left in the wrong direction the other day".

"Yeah, well now you know" and he get a serious look on his face "and Luke's parents are delighted....".

"I'm glad.....but I knew they would be....Luke and I talked about it a lot, he wanted so bad for me to find love again and find someone to raise the kids with".

"Well, you have.....i think I'm the one that gains the most in this....." and we embrace and kiss.

Emma pulls on my arm "okay......can you stop kissing so we can eat, I'm starving.....I'm going to eat all my candy now".

We break and both get up, I look at her "you most certainly will not, missy.....you can have one piece and we'll make breakfast........remember Rich's parents and family are coming for Easter dinner".

Richard starts cooking bacon and we do the whole American breakfast thing, enjoying some yummy food and each others company. After, the kids run next door to play with Martin and Claire for a bit. 

I go outside to start hiding Easter eggs and Richard helps a bit too. It is a gorgeous, sunny day, still chilly, but you can tell Spring is around the corner. He is hiding some eggs over by the fence and stops, looks at me "why are there holes in our fence now?".

"Remember we talked about the hedgehogs and helping with their habitat?".

"Oh yeah, yeah, right.......that's good, I hope they will like it".

"Well, everyone along this side of the street did it to their fences, so they should be able to get in and out". He comes over to hug me again, nuzzling my neck and kissing me again. I sigh and lean into his chest, hearing his steady heartbeat "I missed you, Rich".

"I missed you too, love" and he reaches for my hand, watching the sun sparkling off the diamonds in the ring "and I can't wait to marry you".

"Me neither, Rich.....but here is the next big question, do we do it before I resemble a small killer whale or wait until after the baby is born....which might mean next year, since the baby is due right before Christmas".

He looks at me "that's up to you, really.....but I would like to marry you this year.....play starts in September, we will rehearse before that.......so maybe in early fall, before the kids go back to school or over the summer......I assume we better do it right and proper, no eloping?".

"No, we better not, my folks would kill me.....so yeah, we will do the entire thing, either at church or outdoors......" and I wrinkle my brow "also, and I hate to bring it up........your fans might get a whiff of this at some point....".

"They better leave it be and give us privacy".

"Do your parents know you were going to ask me?".

"Yes, I told them on Skype from Toronto, they are delighted and excited to come today".

"Mum! Rich! Is it ready?" and Emma comes out with Claire, followed by Elliott and Martin.

"Yes, you can go hunt".

Their parents come over to offer their congratulations and we visit with them for a bit, before showering and getting ready for Easter dinner. 

We have a wonderful evening with Richard's family, they are so happy for us and the tears flow once Richard reveals we are expecting too. We talk later with my parents on Skype, wishing them a Happy Easter and talk briefly about wedding plans. They both yell when we tell them they get to be grandparents again and we feel their love and excitement for us.

The kids are finally in bed and the dishes and everything else has been cleaned up. We are sitting in Richard's office on the couch, I'm between his legs, my back against his chest and he has his arms around me. This is often our to go place after a long day and we love sitting in here, quietly talking and winding down.

Our hands are intertwined and we both look at the ring on my finger. He nuzzles my neck, nipping at my ear lobe "surprised, love?".

I turn my head to kiss him on the lips "mmmm....yes, very.....I didn't think it would happen until after you got home and had been here a while, but it's wonderful........".

"Yes it is.......still seems surreal we are actually getting married...." and he clears his throat "this will eventually have to be addressed with the public..." and he sighs "and I doubt we can keep the little one a secret either".

I lean my head on his chest as he caresses my hair. I nod "I figured it would have to......you have the play coming up and more press, but lets hope we can announce the wedding after the fact and also the baby...it will be ok, Rich".

"I hope so, love.....but I always worry about it, the invasion of our privacy and the kids and your safety".

"I know you do....".

"It has been relatively quiet, but I have not been out in public or done much press, but that will change and I'm sad to say, some of them get a bit crazy and obsessed".

"Well, lets cross that bridge when we get there, shall we?".

We sit for a bit longer before we reluctantly get up to get ready for bed. We check on the kids before we retire to our room, Richard locking the door behind us. We do our bathroom routine and then get in bed. He likes to read before he goes to sleep and I often will get on my phone to catch up on the news and check my Twitter etc.

I wrinkle my nose as I read his Twitter feed, the fans begging to hear from him, the last selfie he posted was right before he left Toronto, he was in his trailer. I sigh, they never seem happy no matter what he does or doesn't do and it makes me sad. I'm totally unaware he is watching me until he reaches a hand over to touch my arm "what is it, love? You look concerned......".

"Nothing...just the fans demanding a new selfie and wondering where you are etc., nothing new really".

He puts his book on the night stand and turns to me "why are you even reading it?".

I shrug "I don't know......I'm curious to a point and also feel very protective of you.....I know you are a big boy and can take care of it yourself.......I just like to see what they are saying, I guess....".

Reaching for his phone, he puts the book on the quilt on the bed and snaps a picture, quickly typing something "there......they can stare at my book for a while, maybe that will keep them happy".

"I doubt it" and I look at his Tweet with the picture "a little bedtime reading......glad to be back in my own bed". I roll my eyes "oh here comes all the comments about you in bed......." and I put my phone away and lay down as he pulls me closer.

Lifting an eyebrow, he smirks "well, I am in bed.......with the most beautiful, sexy woman I know" and he captures my lips in a tender kiss. We settle in for the night and soon both fall asleep, happy to be back together again.

 

A week later:

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU..........HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU"

I am jolted awake and peak over the sheet, breaking into a smile when I see Elliott, Emma and Richard standing there, singing. Richard is holding a tray with a sprite, some orange juice and a chocolate croissant from my favorite bakery with a candle in it. Emma has a bouquet of flowers and Elliot a wrapped gift.

They finish and I slowly sit up, leaning against the headboard, pulling the sheets with me. I yawn "thank you guys.....that is really lovely" and the kids climb in bed with me and Richard places the tray on my lap, leaning down to kiss me.

"Happy Birthday, Lauren".

"Thank you, Rich" and I return the kiss.

Emma hands me the flowers in the vase "Happy Birthday, Mummy......".

"Thank you, sweetie.....those are beautiful".

"Rich took us to get them yesterday after school".

"Happy Birthday, Mum" and Elliott gives me the wrapped present "this is from all of us".

"Thank you, darling" and I hug him. 

Richard sits at the foot of the bed and they watch as I open the present. It is a box and inside is four tickets to "The Lion King" the musical, that premieres tonight and they are killer seats. I look at Richard "you're kidding?".

"Nope......we are going" and he adds dryly "one time it was useful for me to be me".

"Thank you...that's so exciting.......".

"Well, I knew you wanted to go and the kids are excited too".

I lift an eyebrow "and the press?".

"It will be what it is...." and he sighs before looking at the kids "and now I better run you rascals to school, so your Mum can eat her birthday breakfast in peace".

The hug me and Richard kissing me on the mouth "I'll be back in a bit.......enjoy the quiet" and they all leave.

I put the tray on the bed and sit up better, crossing my legs and I nibble on the croissant and drink some juice, it tastes heavenly. There is also a small paper box on the tray and I open it, smiling when a big chocolate covered strawberry is revealed. I eat it, savoring the sweet berry mixed with the chocolate. I catch up on email and read the lovely messages from family and friends.

Heavy footsteps announces Richard's return and he comes into view, carrying a huge bouquet of colorful flowers. He puts them on the nightstand by me and leans down to kiss me "these were just being delivered".

"They are gorgeous, wonder who sent them?" and I reach for the card attached, opening it and reading it quickly, breaking into a smile "my folks........".

"I think they miss their daughter" and he takes the tray, putting it over on the table by the couch in our room.

"I know they do, I think they resent me a little bit for not moving back when Luke passed away, but they also understand why I didn't".

He gets into bed, sitting down on his side, reaching for my hand "they are lovely and they love you so much......".

"I know, I'm lucky.......lucky to have them, but more lucky to have such a handsome fiance" and we meet in a sweet kiss, that soon grows a little heated. Our tongues wrap around each other and I press myself closet to him as he wraps his warm body around me. I end underneath him and he is very careful not to put his entire weight on me. I tug on his shirt "it's ok, you can lay down, Rich.......".

"The baby......don't want to hurt it".

"It is so tiny right now and well protected behind a lot of fat, so don't worry......I like feeling your weight on top of me, it's nice....".

He pulls back a little and kisses my nose "you don't have any fat on you, love.......you are perfect just the way you are" and he runs his hand up my body as he lays down on top of me. I'm just wearing a skimpy negligee and he is fully clothes, which creates a different feeling with his rough jeans against my skin. I wrap my legs around him and moan into his mouth when I feel his growing bulge against my panties "ohhh, Rich.....".

I yank his tshirt out of his pants, running my hands up his muscular back and pull the shirt over his head. He kisses me again with passion and lets out a grunt when I pull him closer with my legs, his erection feeling deliciously hard against my core. His hands are all over, one reaching down to caress my behind and the other shimmering under my negligee and he mumbles into my mouth "too much clothes....".

We break as I let out a laugh "says the person who is currently wearing pants and socks".

"I can fix that" and he sits up, quickly discarding all his clothes, turning to me with a smirk, crawling back towards me, he hard cock standing proud between his legs "where were we?" and he kisses my thigh, nibbling his way up as he gently pushes my legs apart. I know what he is wants and I breathe in, anticipating his next move. He moves my top out of the way, pushing it up and makes me giggle when he licks my flank and nibs at my hipbone.

"Rich, stop.....it tickles" and I squirm. 

He grabs my hips "hold still....you are not cooperating with me here....." and he presses his nose against my mound, placing a couple of hard kisses against my clit through my panties.

"Mmmm......more...please" and I try to shimmer closer to his mouth, grabbing his hair to steer him to where I so desperately need him. My panties are already damp from rubbing against his bulge and I clench in need when he kisses my inner thigh again, really close to my sensitive lips. 

"Patience, darling" and he pushes my panties a tiny bit to the side with his tongue, licking me one time and then pulls away.

"Dammit, Rich! Stop teasing me.....it is not nice on my birthday".

He chuckles, running his long finger over my core, feeling the wetness on the fabric covering it and he delibretely presses harder on my sensitve little pearl, making me moan. I yank on his hair a bit harder "ouch!".

"Then stop being an ass" and I tug to emphasize I mean it.

"So impatient and grouchy", but he takes pity, pulling my panties off in one smooth motion. I spread my legs, hearing him grunt when he sees how wet I am and then he dips down, licking me ever so slowly from opening to clit, rasping fast of my bundle of nerves a couple of times.

"Ohhh fuck yes......more......." and I lift my hips as he starts to suck and lick me in earnest. He knows me so well by now and he uses all the tricks in the book, bringing me closer and closer to orgasm with every swipe of his tongue. He alterntates his speed and pressure just right, making me ride the edge.

I'm a moaning mess, fisting at his hair and I move my top up higher so I can touch my own breast, stimulating my nipple.

He stops for a moment when I let out a whimper and it is his turn to moan, when he sees me touching myself "shit, Lauren......that is so hot....".

"Rich, please fuck me....hard.......I want to feel your hard cock inside me, I want you to make me cum around you".

I know he gets riled up when I talk dirty to him. Kissing he way quickly up my body, he moves my negligee up and pulls it over my head, kissing my breasts and suckling on a hard nipple. He groans when I reach between us, finding his rock hard erection and wrapping my fingers around him. He is so hard, my fingers getting slick with precum as I touch his sensitive head "fuck yes....please...." and we meet in a wet kiss. I rut against him when he lays down on top of me.

When we finally pull apart, he looks at me, lust evident in his sparkling blue eyes and his voice is low and deep "how would you like this?".

"This is good.....or maybe sit up?".

"But it's hard for you to cum that way" and he gets a mischievous "unless we use the toy.....".

We kiss again and I rubs myself against him "the toy is great......I'm glad you like it......remember you didn't know what to think when I showed it to you".

His breathing is heavy "I know....just never thought toys could be that fun.......but.....ughhhhh.......it was so hot to see you come apart like that and feel you clench around my dick like that" and he thrusts his hips a few more times, kneading my breast.

"It was hot to see how turned on you were and how hard you came" and I push him aside, leaning over to open the drawer in the nightstand, taking out the blue cock ring with the small vibrator on it.

Turning around, I push him down on the bed, leaning over him to give him a wet, opened mouthed kiss, our tongues meeting in the age old tangle. He grins, reaching up to caress my breast, rolling my nipple between his fingers. I arch my back and moan into his mouth, feeling myself clench in want and need. I kiss his beard and down his throat, running my hands over his hairy chest, mumbling "you are still so hot to me, Rich.....".

His hands caresses my shoulder and my hair as I kiss my way down his body. His muscles move and I feel him tighten his stomach in anticipation. I lick his belly button, feeling him squirm a little, he is rather ticklish there and then lick his pleasure trail of hair, finally making contact with his hard arousal. I look up at him for a second, seeing him watching me, resting himself on his elbows, his sparkling blue eyes dark with lust. 

I hear him inhale sharply when I kiss the base and then a deep groan rips from Richard's throat when I lick him all the way up, tracing his pulsing vein and swirling my tongue around his swollen head "ohhh god". I repeat the action, tracing the crown, playing with his foreskin with my tongue, which sends him into utter delirium faster than anything else. He whimpers and moans, grabbing at my hair "fuck, love......ohhhh yeah......ohhhh".

Touching his balls, I continue to lick and suck him until I feel him starting to tighten, then finally pop off, grinning at him.

He reaches down, yanking me on top of him and kissing the hell out of me, while running his big, warm hands up my back and then down, cupping my rear. His erection is pressing into my stomach that soon feel sticky from all the precum leaking steadily from him. He moves a hand up to touch my breast, wiggling under me to bring his mouth closer and soon his velvety, soft tongue is wrapping around my nipple. It feels wonderful and it is my turn to wither and moan "ohhhh, Rich....more.......".

I squirm over him and his administrations are slowly driving me crazy until I push away from him, panting "I need you inside of me.....please".

Richard nods and I slither south, making sure to rub my entire body against his. I move down so my breasts touch his cock, making him grunt when it slides between them "ohh fuck" and I follow with my tongue, before sitting up with a wicked grin.

He looks at me, lifting an eyebrow "that was mean...".

Sticking my tongue out at him, I smirk "maybe, but I bet you wont complain in a minute" and I reach for the toy, sliding it over his erection, making sure it is right where it needs to be. I lift myself up, holding on to him and then guiding him to my entrance, sliding down on him in one fluid motion, my walls stretching to accommodate his sizable girth and length. It feels so good to be filled by him.

The display on his face never gets old, the sheer pleasure and him squeezing his eyes shut, as he hands goes to my hips to steady me. I lean down to kiss him, looking at him "okay?".

He opens his eyes, panting "It is more than ok.......ughhhh".

I move up and down his shaft a few times, making us both moan in pleasure. 

We have done this a few times now, so when I stop, he braces himself with his strong arms as he sits up. I lift my weight off him and shifts my legs, wrapping them behind him once he is all the way up. It makes him sink in deeper and I bite his shoulder in a breathless moan "ohhh Rich".

He reaches between us, caressing my breast and kisses me again "I know, love".

"Mmmm.....ready?" and I touch his face.

"Yeah...." and he moves one hand down, quickly turning on the small vibrator.

It catches me by surprise every time, but fuck it is good as he grabs my rear, starting to thrust in and out of me, moving me up and down his hard shaft, the vibrator touching my clit every time our hips meet, sending jolts of pleasure. 

"Fuck, Rich........ohhhhhh........harder.......more.........shit..........oh god........fuck.......close.....ohhhhhhh". Our voices mix as we move together, the bed bouncing quite a bit.

I'm getting so close and he senses it, going faster and deeper, trying to keep the vibrator in contact with my clit longer, stimulating me. The tension is building and when he flicks his tongue over my nipple, while holding me firmly to him, the damn breaks. I bury my head in his sweaty neck, my hands grabbing tightly at his shoulders as I climax, violent, wonderful spasms of pure pleasure rippling thru my entire body "RICH".

He feels it all and wraps me tightly in his strong arms, our chests close together and he plants a hand on my rear as he thrusts firmly and deeply, following me over the edge, coming hard with a hoarse shout "fuck....fuck.....I'm coming..........ohhhh" and he empties everything he has in long, warm spurts. 

The vibrator prolongs it for both of us, we just cling to each other until it becomes too much and I reach down to turn it off. We collapse against each other, he buries his face in my neck, his beard tickling my skin and I feel his hot breath.

I'm out of breath and just rest my head on his shoulder, caressing his back.

Finally finding the strength, we meet in a tender kiss and he moves a strand of hair out of my face. Our eyes meet and he grins "happy birthday".

"Thank you.........best gift ever.....fucking hell".

He laughs, his deep throaty laugh and kisses me again, looking at me softly "I love you, Lauren".

"I love you too, Rich.....so much.....this was incredible".

We stay close for a bit longer, he kisses my neck softly and I run my fingers through his hair, our noses touching and he smiles "mmm.....want to share a shower with me....I think we made a mess".

"You made the mess.....I only helped" and I touch his chin "but yeah.....a shower sounds nice and then maybe change the sheets?".

"Deal" and he captures my lips again, before I carefully move off his lap and we get up to shower. It ends up being a long shower, kissing, touching and hugging each other prolongs it, but it is nice. He hands me a towel as we step out and I dry off. I stand in front of the vanity when he comes up behind me, still naked, wrapping his arms around me and kissing me silly "god I love you".

Turning my head to kiss his lips "I love you too".

He tenderly moves his hands down to place them on my lower stomach, whispering "how's the little one?".

"Fine....I assume".

"I still can't believe you are pregnant and there is a baby, our baby, in there".

I snuggle into his embrace, putting my hands over his "I know, but believe me, there is and soon I'll get fat and we will have to be creative having sex".

He smirks in the mirror "I'm sure we can figure it out".

"Oh I don't have any doubts about that.....".

We finally separate to go get dressed and he takes me to lunch at a local little Italian place.

 

A few hours later:

Richard went to get the kids from school and I'm in the bathroom, curling my hair and applying light make up. I'm wearing a deep red lace lingerie set. I hear the door click and voices below.

"Love....we are home......." and heavy footsteps as he takes two stairs at a time, coming upstairs "where are you?".

"In the bathroom, Rich".

He comes in to view and I turn my head, seeing him smirk "that should be illegal" and he wraps me in his arms, kissing me, his warm hands on my naked skin "damn, you look hot in that lace".

"Well, enjoy it while you can......in a few months I will resemble a baby hippo...." and I kiss him back.

"You will always be sexy to me, love and you are carrying our baby". He nibs at my ear, his hands cupping my lace covered breasts "you are beautiful....." and he presses against me.

"No time for hanky panky, you horny bastard......we need to eat and get dressed........when is the car coming?".

"I told them 18:30 or 6:30...whatever, you know what I mean...", he sees my lifted eyebrow.

"Ok.......so lets have food and then get dressed in a bit.......did you get the food from take out?".

"Downstairs....." and pulling on my panties with puppy eyes "promise I can take these off with my teeth later?".

Leaning close, I brush my lips against his ear "you may......if you promise to fuck me from behind" and I walk in the bedroom, shooting him a look over my shoulder.

"You evil, wicked woman....." he mutters as he follows me with a grin.

We eat sandwiches from our favorite deli, talking to the kids about their day and about tonight.

I look at them "now there will be a lot of photographers there, it will be loud......just stick close to us and it will be fine......you don't have to say anything, just walk with us, okay?".

Elliott looks at us "sort of like the cancer thing we do every year?".

Nodding, I smile "yeah, just with a lot more press people...like the hobbit premiere.......it will be crazy".

Emma pipes up "why?".

Richard chimes in "because tonight is the first night for the musical in this theater, it is a big deal and a lot of people are excited to see it".

She beams at him "well, I'm excited too......can I hold your hand if I get scared?".

"Yes, of course pumpkin" and they share a smile.

We finish eating and then the craziness starts, getting ready for the event.

I put out the kids clothes, but I need to do Emma's hair. I end up braiding it to one side and then putting a colorful feather clip on the end. Her dress is sparkling pink. Elliott is in a blue suit with a white shirt and a pink tie and pocket square to match.

After they are done, I go in the walk in closet where Richard is almost done getting dressed. He is in a navy suit, crisp white shirt and the same pink tie and pocket square as Elliott. He is buttoning his shirt and looks over and smiles "kids all ready?".

"Yeah, except you need to help Elliott with his tie......he wants you to do it, not me.......".

He nods and I take off my robe, swaying my hips in front of him walking over to my dress. He gulps, looking at my lace covered behind, reaching out to caress it "damn".

I just rolls my eyes, getting the dress off the hanger and step in it, turning around so he can zip up the back. It is a pink gown with a lace top that then goes into a skirt made of layers and layers of chiffon. I turn around, looking at Richard "is it ok?".

"It is stunning, you are stunning...." and he pulls me into his arms. We stand there for a few minutes, not saying much, but just being together. 

I reluctantly pull away to put on the pink earrings he gave me and I pull out my jewelry drawer to look for a bracelet.

Richard walks over, handing me a wrapped box "happy birthday".

Looking at him, I take it "you already gave me my present......the tickets for tonight".

"Well, that is almost a family gift.......this is my personal one.....hope you like it".

I know where the box came from and open it, letting out a soft "ohhh" when I see what is inside: a very delicate bracelet, in rose gold, set with round pink sapphires with a small pave diamond puffed heart, in white gold, dangling from it. It matches the earrings I'm wearing perfectly. I look at him, tears welling my eyes "it is gorgeous, Rich, but a bid too much......".

He walks over, enveloping me in his arms, kissing and hugging me "nothing is too much for you and please don't cry.......".

I sniffle into his chest, holding him close "I'm just a bit overwhelmed and the pregnancy hormones don't help.....". I reach up to cup his face, leaning up to kiss him "thank you, it is beautiful".

"Just like you......" and he helps me put it on and I look in the mirror, it is perfect with the earrings and my engagement ring.

Richard ties his tie and puts on his jacket. I grab my clutch, stepping into my nude heels "ready?".

"Yeah, I think so..........ohhh wait.....Elliott's tie", but before he can say anything else, the child in question comes in.

He looks at me and grins "you look very nice, Mum".

"Thank you".

Richard gets him all squared away and we are soon seated in the car, heading towards the theater district in London. I can tell the kids are a bit excited and the close we get, the more traffic there is. We arrive to the theater and there is a line of cars to drop people off. 

It becomes out turn and Richard gets out, opening the door for us, giving me a hand to step out. There is a lot of press and just curious people lined up along the red carpet. Richard takes my hand and I see Emma looking around, her eyes big as saucers, reaching for Richard's other hand as we walk down towards the doors. Elliott is playing it cool.

We stop in front of the mop of photographer, posing just for a minute or two, ignoring all the questions being yelled at us. As we get ready to move on, Richard just generally proclaims "I'm here with Lauren Roberts, my fiance and her children, Elliott and Emma" and with a smile, we walk off. 

I hear several more questions being yelled back at Richard, but we keep walking until cornered by a few of the news reporters further down the line.

Darcy Emerson writes for one of the respected papers, always covering the entertainment industry and she is well known and liked among the actors. She stops Richard and he hugs her, kissing her cheek "hi daling".

"Richard Armitage! I didn't expect you to be here.......didn't you just get back from filming Hannibal?".

"I did and yeah.....well, we wanted to come see this tonight".

She looks at us and smiles, I have met her a few times and she is always pleasant "so I heard you just announced to the vultures", Richard laughs, "that Lauren is your fiance?".

He squeezes my hand tighter "yeah, I guess the cat is out of the bag......we are engaged to get married and I could not be happier".

"Congratulations to you both....." and she looks at me "did he give you a ring?".

I hold out my left hand, the icy band sparkling under all the lights. She grabs my hand "that is bloody gorgeous.........well done, Richard.......so when is the wedding?".

"We don't know.......sometime this fall, we are still working on schedules......I have things and Lauren is working on stuff too".

She looks at me "still at BBC making gorgeous clothes?".

"Yes.....".

"Did you make the dress you are wearing tonight? It is stunning, matching the boys and your daughter".

"Thank you and yes, I did".

Darcy turns to Richard again "so what is next for you, can we expect to see you somewhere in London this year?".

He hesitates for a moment "well.....nothing is official yet, so I can't talk about it, but look for an announcement soon.....".

"Okay........we will........thanks for talking to me and enjoy your evening".

We thank her and then head inside, where we are shown to our seats. We are in the mid section a few rows up from the stage, it is perfect. Richard nods to a few people he knows and then it is time to sit down. I lean over "did you mean to let everyone know you are getting married? Twitter will blow up".

"I hadn't planned it, but figured we might as well get it over with......do you mind?".

"No, not at all and hopefully it will pass quickly.......the craziness".

"I hope so" and he takes my hand, bringing it up to his lips, kissing my knuckles, as the lights dim and the music starts.

 


	28. Chapter 28

2 months later:

I am headed towards Heathrow airport to pick Richard up. He is returning from the States, after shooting a movie the last 6 weeks. It had come as a last minute offer and he felt he should take it before he has to be home for good. Rehearsals starts shortly for the play and we also have a wedding coming up in little over a month. The kids had been sad to have him leave again, especially Emma and it has been hard having him gone for this long.

The kids are almost out of school for the summer, which I look forward to. Richard will start working on the play, but should have time to spend with the kids and I have cut down at work, so I can plan our wedding and do things with them as well.

I rest my hand on my growing baby bump, it is getting harder to hide. The good thing, morning sickness has finally gone away and I feel overall fantastic and people keep telling me I have the pregnancy glow already. 

Richard acts like a paranoid father to be, sending me articles and interrogates me daily about how I feel. He is cute and I know he is maybe even more excited than I am.

I spent the morning looking at menus and table settings, this wedding is kind of getting out of hand. It was just going to be a small affair, but has evolved into setting up a tent in his parents backyard and having a full scale church ceremony, all the things my parents felt they missed out on last time. I don't mind really and Richard has just left it up to me, but emphasized this would the only time he ever plans to marry, so we should do it right.

The dress is coming along, I sketched it and Ellen helped me pick the fabric and we are in the process of making it. I'm also making a dress for my mom, Richard's mom and Emma. Good thing I love the process.

Traffic is the pits out by the airport as always, I pull in to the waiting area and turn off my car, rolling down the windows, it is a bit hot today. Leaning my head back, I yawn, I'm just feeling tired all the time with the pregnancy, but then remind myself I'm not 20 anymore.

My phone buzzes with a text "I got my luggage, walking out to the curb.....lets pray there are no vultures....can't wait to see you".

I send a heart and happy face emoji back, turning the car back on and drive towards pick up. Pulling up, he is already standing there, wearing jeans, a white t-shirt, his beloved Belstaff jacket and aviator sunglasses. He looks amazing. I stop  and pop the trunk, getting out. 

Richard puts his bags in the trunk and then comes around, taking off his glasses and pulling me into a tight hug, our lips meeting in a deep kiss. I bury my head in his chest, feeling like things shift back into place now he is home and we kiss again. He pulls away and looks at me, his blue eyes sparkling "hi love".

"Hi yourself, Rich......", our lips meeting, finding each other again.

He holds me out and tenderly places a hand of my stomach, saying softly "look at that.....wow......".

"Baby is growing and I sure show earlier and bigger since I'm older and this is my 3rd kid.......I could still wear my regular jeans with Elliott at this stage, now.....not so much".

"You look beautiful, Lauren.......god I missed you, love" and he pulls me close again, kissing my neck, croaking in my ear "lets go home......".

"Eager beaver are we now?" and I smirk at him.

"Yes, haven't seen you for 6 weeks....". Reaching out his hand, he looks at me "keys.....I can drive....".

I hand them to him "if you want......but do remember to drive on the left side......you just came from the States....".

He opens the door for me and helps me in, then gets in the driver's side "I'll remember.....I didn't drive much over there, studio sent a car....".

"I heard you drove at my folks' though......dad said you borrowed his truck".

Richard starts the engine, putting on his seatbelt "I did.....had to get something.....don't ask questions......" and he pulls out, heading towards home, still talking "so what time go we get the kids?".

"Not until this afternoon......I have a charcuterie board from our favorite butcher at home, including a Stilton just aged how you like it, if you want that for lunch.......or we can go out".

He puts his hand on my thigh as he drives "I'm so sick of eating out and take out.......so lunch at home sounds so good and I can't wait to sleep in my own bed.....with you".

I playfully hit his shoulder "horny bastard.......you have been on the ground for like 50 minutes and that is all you can think about........".

"Ouch! And yes, I have no shame in admitting that......I missed you so much......" and then he sounds a bit more serious "how are you feeling, though? You keep telling me you are fine....".

"I really am.......morning sickness is gone, appetite is back and I'm still sleeping fine......it's good.....doctor says everything sounds and looks good".

"Any inkling to what it is?, his voice gets a bit emotional "it was wonderful to hear the heartbeat......I sat and cried like a baby in my trailer after I got your message on my phone......".

Shaking my head, I squeeze his hand "no, no more than you......I never had any strong feeling about the others either, but Luke wanted to know so bad and I get it, it is practical for buying stuff......but we can decide in a month, if we want to know......after the wedding.......but we have nothing for the baby, I didn't save any stuff because I thought I was done, gave it all away......a long time ago......".

"I guess we better buy stuff.....I don't even know what a baby needs, if you read the baby books, it is a bit overwhelming" and he laughs.

"It is and you don't need everything......but we will need to buy a bed, changing table, rocking chair and things........and we need to decide if we let Elliott move down to the guest room and make his room a nursery or we keep the baby in our room.....".

"Would he be ok moving?".

"Oh yeah......he said he wanted to and it would be fine......".

"But do we need to have the baby in our room at first?" and he gestures "I have no clue......the books are so confusing....".

"I think they are more guidelines, Rich.....nothing is set in stone and everyone is different and every baby is different.......Elliott was such a good sleeper and Emma not so much......you never know, just because they are siblings, they do come with their own personalities".

He rolls his eyes "don't i know it by now, Emma and Elliott are so different in many ways, aren't they?".

"Yep, like oil and water sometimes.......".

We swing onto our street and into the driveway to park. His car is currently in the garage and we need to go get the kids in the while. We get out and Richard retrieves his luggage from the trunk, I reach for his shoulder bag, he tries to stop me "no....I'll get it....".

"I'm not disable, Rich....I'll get it......you have two suitcases already".

He nods "ok, but be careful....don't want you to get hurt". Rolling my eyes, I walk ahead to unlock the door and we enter the mudroom. He sets the suitcases down and sighs "ah home , sweet home...." Rustling noises are coming from a large crate over in the corner and it catches his attention. He walks over there, looking at the straw moving inside "is that.....".

I come over "yep, the little hedgehogs......they are probably hungry.....it is like having infants, they need feeding often....".

"I was told by Emma the other day they are called hoglets when I asked about them".

"They are indeed" and I reach down, carefully removing the straw, exposing the tiny babies, emitting little squeaks "they are probably starving". I pick one up, holding it in my hand "come here, we better get you fed".

Richard watches in fascination "they are so small....".

"They are and still take a baby bottle, but they are slowly starting to eat regular food and then we can soon move them outside in the pen, until they are big enough to release back in the wild".

"What happened to their mum?" and he puts out a finger to touch the little critter.

"She got run over by a lawn mower, very sad.......happens more often than not....." and I hand him the baby "here, hold it and I'll grab the other one....". We carry them in the kitchen and put them in a lined basket by the sink while I prepare a couple of bottles for them. I shake it really good and then hand him a bottle "here, just stick it by it's mouth". I give him a hand towel and I carry mine over to the couch and sit down, offering the bottle and watching it hungrily sucking it all down.

Richard joins me and his is soon feeding too, he grins at me "this is neat.....I can see why Emma loves them".

"I know, she is a good helper and Elliott is actually more interested than I thought and helps out.....".

He gets a funny look on his face and clears his throat "well, I did have a talk with him before I left, when I took him to lunch one day from school.....I told him to please try and be helpful, that you were going to be more tired since you are expecting and for him to just help, even when he didn't feel like it".

"He is a good kid....and he has, thank you".

"Well, that is what you do when you are a family".

We finish feeding the hedgehogs and I get a sudden urge for the bathroom, so I hand Richard the one I was holding and leave for a minute. Opening the door back up, I can hear his voice and I have to suppress a giggle.

"Yes, you are a good little hoglet.....so cute.....yes you are".

I walk back in the room and Richard is holding one up, talking to it and looking totally adorable. He blushes, gestures with his hand "I..I....".

Sitting back down next to him, I smile and touch his cheek "don't be embarrassed, it was totally cute and they are adorable....".

He smiles, the faint blush still visible on his face "they are...and one fell asleep" and he points to the one in his lap, curled up and out cold.

"Yeah, they pretty much just sleep and eat and poop, just like a baby........we can put them back in the box.....are you hungry?".

We take them back in the mud room, placing them back in their straw nest. I cover them back up and Richard yawns "yeah, I can eat, but maybe I should have a quick shower first.....". Washing our hands in the sink out there, we embrace again, sharing few heated kisses. He rests his forehead against mine "god I missed you....it gets harder and harder to leave.....".

"Then don't".

"I wont for a long while now, I told my agent no work outside of the UK until we see how it goes with the little one.....". He nibbles his way down my neck and up to my ear, saying huskily "any chance I can talk you into a shower with me?" and I feel his nimble fingers pull up my shirt, caressing the skin on my back.

We kiss again and I smile into his mouth "perhaps....then lunch after?".

"Uhu.......after...." and he wiggles an eyebrow.

I swat his butt "just say it.....that you want to have sex before we eat.....nothing wrong with that......".

He avoids my eyes, the blush creeping back up on his cheeks "didn't want to be an arse...".

Taking his hand, I lead him upstairs, talking over my shoulder "you aren't and never will be.....I'm happy you still find me attractive". 

Wrapping me in his arms from behind when we get to the top of the stairs, he kisses my neck "I don't think that will ever change, love.....you are beautiful".

I giggle when he licks behind my ear "Rich, stop.....it tickles, haa....ha, ha......arghhhhh" and I move away from him, walking in our bedroom, pulling off my top "sex or shower first?".

He follows me in "shower.....I stink after being on an airplane that long..." and we make it to the bathroom and shed the rest of our clothes. I twist my hair up, securing it with a clip, not planning on getting it too wet. He walks up behind me, our eyes meeting in the mirror as he wraps his strong arms around me, sliding his hands down to my lower stomach, placing them over the bump "you are gorgeous, darling......". His erection is pressing into my back and I relish in the warmth from his body, I missed that.

We take a quick shower and after toweling off, he guides me back in the bedroom and we crawl into the bed together, him ending up on top of me. I undo my hair, throwing the clip on the night stand. Our talking seizes and we communicate with our eyes, hands and quiet murmurs. It feels special, two souls reuniting in passion and love. He caresses my entire body, my skin enjoying his touches and I lift my legs when he moves down, trailing kisses between my breasts, licking each nipple, making me squirm as that goes straight to my clit "ohhh, Rich....please".

He is soon between my legs and nips teasingly a few times and then dives in, licking me from opening to clit, flattening his tongue and I press myself against him, urging him on by grabbing his hair "ohhh fuck yes.....don't stop, Rich....please don't stop......ohhhh". He alternates his speed, licks and sucks me, knowing to also stimulate my opening. My entire body tenses up and when he swirls his tongue around my clit and then sucks, I come undone, throwing my head back, moaning in pure pleasure "ohhhhhhhhhh....oohhhhhhh....yeessssss.... fuck, Rich...ohhh god" and i ride it out, his mouth still on me until I sag into the mattress, feeling satisfied and spend.

I pull him back up, kissing him deeply and guiding his rock hard erection to my entrance. He slips inside, biting his lower lip, grunting in my ear "ughhh....sorry if this will be over quick.... fuck......". He holds still for a minute before he starts to move, going slow at first, but soon picking up the pace. I wrap my legs around him, gripping his shoulder.

"Harder, Rich.......fuck me......ohhhh".

Pleasure and lust washes over his face and he is fighting to make it last longer, but he knows it is a loosing battle and a couple of more deep thrusts and he comes hard, releasing his warmth deep inside of me in long spurts, as he lets out a satisfied groan "ohhh fuck yeah......ohhhh" and he collapses into my arms, trying not to put too much weight on me.

I hold him tight, our chests hammering against each other and his head buried in my neck. I stroke his back, enjoying the intimacy. I smile when he finally lifts his head and we share a couple of tender kisses. "I love you, Rich".

"I love you more, Lauren". He moves a strand of hair out of my face, kissing me again, before carefully slipping from me, reaching for a towel in the nightstand and then tenderly cleaning us both up. He pulls me into his arms and we lay there for a while, relishing in being together.

We very reluctantly get up when Richard's stomach lets out a loud growl and we get dressed and go down stairs to share lunch. I clean up after, while Richard unpacks and starts a load of laundry. I check email on my phone and then Twitter, my heart sinking when I see I have been tagged in several pictures posted by a tabloid an hour ago. They are pictures of us from the airport earlier, us outside the car and Richard kissing me and touching my stomach. Headline "Hobbit star going to be a father?" and underneath it says "our photographer captured these images a short while ago and we are wondering if the Hobbit star is expecting a baby with his fiance? They greeted each other warmly at Heathrow today and he made a point to touch her stomach. We have reached out to his publicist, but haven't heard back, stay tuned".

I am not sure how to feel about this and if I should let Richard know, but I hear him slam his office door "fucking shit" and I figure he has seen it too. I walk down there, knocking and then opening the door. He is standing over by the window, his fists clenched and I can tell he is mad as a hornet. I walk over there, putting my hand on his shoulder, saying softly "it's alright". 

He whips around, his eyes flaming "NO IT ISN'T! It is too much, why can't they leave us the damn alone? WHY?" and he gestures, rubbing his hand over his face and pulling me into his arms "I'm sorry.....not yelling at you, love......I'm just..".

I embrace him, rubbing his neck "I know, Rich.......it's just how they are....". 

Pulling me over to the couch, he sits down and I do too, our hands intertwining "it just makes me so angry and then the fans...." and he snorts "did you see all the questions they tweeted to you and to me?".

Shaking my head "no, I didn't get that far....what?".

He looks appalled "nothing......don't want to upset you......it is not fair or right....".

"I'm a big girl.......and you know I will read if you don't tell me...".

Taking a deep breath, he looks at me, pain evident in his eyes "they are accusing you of getting pregnant to trap me, they are questioning my choice of woman, calling you all sorts of names and a lot of other things......I'm sorry".

"Well, we know that is how it goes, Rich......they were not happy after you announced we were engaged either, remember?".

"I guess I sort of forgot since I left....." and he looks sad "I just don't get it.......can't they just be happy for me....for us......?".

I moves closer as he wraps his arm around me and I sigh in contentment "no...I don't think so, because they will always have a fantasy that you will fall in love with one of them....".

He snorts.

"I know it is silly.... and I don't think we will ever understand it. The best thing is for us/you to just ignore it and just live our lives together. We know the truth and we know that neither of us were planning this baby, but it just happened.....we know that and what others think, that is their problem".

Richard looks at me and leans in to kiss me, cupping my face "I don't deserve you........you always think so rational about it and it doesn't rattle you much".

"Well, after having your husband die of cancer, tabloids are really not that important and neither are the fans........what is important is the people in your life and what kind of life you live, you can't let that other noise distract from that".

"I needed to meet someone like you.....I love you".

"I love you too, Rich" and I smile at him "should we go get the kids?".

"Yes, lets.......can't wait to see them".

"Oh they are dying to see you too".

We leave and Richard has a joyous reunion with Emma and Elliott. They pretty much hog his attention the rest of the day, which is fine with me. We enjoy a nice meal together and he spends the evening getting caught up with them and all the things they have done.

I finish doing his laundry and enjoy he can get them to bed. I work a little on Emma's dress for the wedding in my sewing room, hearing Richard hammering away on his laptop in his office/library. I go make tea and bring it into his room just as he gets up. He smiles "thanks, darling....come here" and we sit down on the couch. He hands me his laptop "here, read this and see what you think".

It is a statement from him: "In light of today's tabloid pictures, I feel the need to address you, my fans and the public in general. Yes, Lauren and I are overjoyed, while very surprised, that we are expecting a little one later this year. I have always loved children and I could not be happier. I never thought I would have this, a family and I wake up every day feeling profoundly grateful. I kindly ask that you respect our privacy.......you can tweet me all you want if you must, but please leave her and the kids out of it, they didn't ask for any of this. Thank you, XO RA".

"Well?" and he looks at me anxiously.

"It good.....really good, but do you really feel you need to?".

He says firmly "yes I do......not sure it will do much but at least I will feel I tried to nip it in the butt" and he hits a few buttons "done...posted".

"I get that.....good for you" and I snuggle into his chest as he kisses the top of my head. I hear him stifle a yawn "mmm.....we should go to bed, Rich.....".

Nodding, he gets up from the couch, giving me a hand and we get ready for bed. He is out cold as soon as his head hits the pillow. I watch him sleep, his beautiful face looking so peaceful, I lean down to kiss his nose and lay down next to him. He mumbles something incoherent and then snuggles close, draping his arm around me and placing his warm palm on my stomach. I smile and soon fall asleep wrapped in his arms.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not even sure if anyone is reading this anymore, so sorry for the lack of updates. Here is the second to last chapter, hope you enjoy if you are still with me! Thank you!

5 Weeks later:

"Ohhh fuck, Rich......ohhhh.....don't stop....please don't stop".

He is panting beneath me, his hands planted firmly on my hips, steadying my movements. His eyes are dark with lust and half closed. He grunts slightly every time I slide down on his rock hard shaft and he thrust upward, meeting me in a steady rhythm "ohhhh....just like that, love.......you feel so good........ohhh yeah.......close?".

I nod, squeezing my internal muscles around him and going a bit faster. My entire body tightens and curls in preparation for orgasm.

Richard watches me through half lidded eyes, we have made love so many times, that he knows the signs of my unraveling. He keeps thrusting his hips and then he feels the damn breaking. He wraps me tightly in his arms, something made a little difficult with my baby bump, but he manages and pounds hard, setting off my climax.

"RIIIIIICCCHHHHHH.................ohhhhhhhhhhh" and I contract and convulse around him.

He follows me over the edge, coming hard with a deep groan "fuuuccccccccckkkkkkkkkk  yeeeaahhhh.........ughhhhh", emptying everything he has in long spurts.

Collapsing into his arm, I pant against his shoulder and he holds me tight, whispering sweet words into my ear and caressing my back.

I finally lift my head, given him a smile when our eyes meet and we exchange a tender kiss. He holds onto me as he rolls us over on the side, slipping from me, but grabbing the towel on the nightstand, gently wiping up the mess. 

Sighing in contentment, I reach for him, cupping his face as he leans down for another kiss "I love you".

"Love you too, Rich.....nice you are home".

He aims for the bathroom, tossing the towel and then turning back to me, pulling me close and giving me a smile "me too, love.......it's nice to know I don't have to go anywhere for the rest of the year". Our lips find each other again and he caresses my body, mumbling "you are just gorgeous...." and he tenderly places a hand on my expanding stomach "how's the baby?".

"Good....I think it moves here and there, but it is still hard to tell.......feels like bubbles, but you should be able to feel it soon too".

"That will be amazing....." and he looks at me in awe "I still can't believe we are having a baby".

I move a little, so I can rest my head on his shoulder as I lazily trace my fingers over his chest, his steady heartbeat in my ear "I know.....I think that took us both by surprise, but that baby must really want to join our family.....".

"Mmmmm....I know" and he turns his head to kiss me again.

We lay there for a while longer, just quietly talking about the next few days. It has been busy since he started rehearsals for the play, opening day is in a month, but before that, we have a wedding. Richard has a press conference this afternoon for the play and then we get married in 4 days. We picked my parents up 2 days ago along with my brother and his wife. They rented a house a couple of streets over from here and we have enjoyed their company at dinner. The kids spent the night at Luke's parents and I have to run into work this afternoon for the final fitting for my dress.

"When do you need to be at the theater?".

He glances at the clock "in a couple of hours.....we have a quick meeting before the press conference, just to nail a few details down...I should be home for supper".

"Did you talk to your folks?".

"Yeah, mum called and told me the tent is up and dad was muttering in the back ground that it was all too bloody fancy and how much that was costing".

"Ever worried, isn't he?".

"Well, when you are of that generation and from his family, they didn't have much......it's nice I can make sure they don't have to worry".

I kiss him again "I know, Rich....." and I wrinkle my forehead.

He gets concerned "what?".

Tracing circles on his broad chest with my finger, my engagement ring sparkling in the light from the window, I sigh "oh nothing.....just hope everything will go off without a hitch".

"I thought that is why we hired Charles, to coordinate it all......".

"It is and I am sure he has it under control...I just worry".

"I know, because you want it all to be perfect, but you know what, love?" and he turns so he can look down at me, our eyes meeting.

"No....what?".

"In the end it doesn't really matter......all that matters is that I get to marry you......the rest are just details...".

I smile at him as he lower his head, our lips meeting in a tender kiss "I know......".

He looks at me with so much love "I love you.....more than you will ever know......and it is just paperwork, really......but it does mean something that I can call you my wife".

"I love you you too, Rich".

I feel his warm hand on my stomach, his entire palm "and I'm so grateful for this miracle". Waves roll through me suddenly and I watch his eyes go big "whoa.....is that? Did I just feel it move?".

Nodding, I grin at him "yep, that was definitely the baby moving".

He looks excited "seriously? That's incredible" and he moves his hand a little and the baby does it again, the sheer delight on his face says everything. We wait, wondering if the baby will move again, but nothing happens. He pulls me into his arms, kissing me again "mmmm.....that was very special, love.....".

"I know, it always is.....just wait until we can see it on the ultrasound, like really see it...hands, arms, feet etc".

"I can't wait......when is our appointment again".

"A week after the wedding, on a Wednesday, since you said that worked best with rehearsals".

Nodding, he very reluctantly gets up, holding out his hand "it does.....and as much as I hate this, we better get going......want to share a shower?".

I take it and get up, being pulled into his warm embrace. I lean my head on his chest as he caresses my back and kisses the top of my head. I mumble "yeah....we better get going".

We share a quick shower and get dressed for the day. After lunch, we part ways, I drive my car to BBC to get fitted for my dress and he drives off towards the theater and his very dreaded press conference. It is not his thing and never will be, but he is willing to do it, because he knows it is part of his job.

 

Richard is sitting at the table next to the director and a few of the other actors. He is the headliner, so most questions are directed to him. Quite a few journalists showed up, both from the printed press and a few TV crews. He goes through the motions of answering and glances at his phone ever so often, wondering when this will be over.

The press is mostly asking about the upcoming play and his role, but then one journalist stands up, introduces herself, followed by "Richard.....you have posted on occasion on Twitter, directly addressing the fans, last one was not too long ago when you revealed you are expecting a child with your fiance. How do you feel about the fans and when is the baby due? Can we expect a wedding sometime?".

He clears his throat, his eyes meeting those of his publicist and then he looks directly at the journalist "I prefer that my private life stays private, so I am not going to answer questions about that, sorry......as I said in my statement, there are kids involved in this and they didn't ask for any of this and neither did Lauren......but we are overjoyed to welcome another child to this family". Another deep breath "I'm very grateful for all the support the fans have given me over the years, the interest they have taken in my various projects and in my life in general, it is very nice and more than I could ever ask for. It has been fine as long as it has just been me, but now things have changed a bit....a lot actually.....my so called fame now affects other people deeply, including two youngsters and that brings an entirely different aspect to this. I understand people are curious and want to know and maybe that is naive, but I kindly ask that people respect that there are boundaries. I will continue to share what I feel I can".

He nods as to dismiss and then sees his phone screen light up, out of the corner of his eye. He looks down. His mouth goes dry when he reads the message on the screen.

* From Lauren "so sorry to bother you, I know you are in the middle of press, but this is urgent.........call me........I'm fine, but got hit by a car{"*

Richard stares at his phone, feeling blood drain from his face, his heart starting to hammer in his chest. He looks out at all the journalists and then pushes out his chair, getting up, raising his hand "excuse me for a moment......I really need to take this" and he walks briskly out to the side and through the door into the hall.

Liz, his publicist is right behind him "Rich......what's going on?" and she reaches for his arm.

Leaning against the wall, he unlocks his phone, giving her a pained look "Lauren has been hit by a car.....she says she is ok".

"Oh my god.....how is she.......the baby?".

He shakes his head as he hits speed dial "I don't know.......she just texted me....I..." and he squeezes his eyes shut, fighting the tears "I can't.....I just...".

She touches his arm "I know you can't, Rich........just go.....do what you need to do....".

"But..but...the press conference" and he points towards the room.

"I'll take care of it, your family is more important and time was almost up anyway".

Nodding, he quickly kisses her cheek "thanks.....I owe you...." and he starts walking out towards the parking area in the back, listening as he phone starts to ring. He mutters to himself "come on...come on......pick up the phone, love.....please....".

More ringing.

Finally I answer, sounding a bit breathless "Rich!".

"Lauren! What happened, you ok? The baby....where are you? Oh god.....".

"Slow down, Rich......I'm fine....I'm at St. Thomas' Hospital......some bloke plowed into my car as I was coming into work, they think he was drunk.....".

He hesitates for a minute and then quietly asks "the baby?".

"They think everything is fine......my car took the blunt of it, police said it was good I drove a BMW, the steel frame held up.....but they want to do an ultrasound to make sure.......can you come?".

"I'm on my way.....what about the kids?".

"I already called Luke's parents and my parents will go get them and care for them until we get home......but don't you have your press conference...I'm sor".

He cuts me off "don't even say that, Lauren.....this is damn more important, Liz is handling it and we were almost done.....you sure you're ok?".

"I'm fine.....drive carefully.....I'll see you when you get here.......emergency room......".

"Ok.....I love you....".

"I love you too, Rich" and we hang up.

He is speeding towards the hospital, silently praying that he wont get stopped and trying to push out all the horrible thoughts that are swirling in his head. What if something is wrong? You hear about people that appear fine and then it turns out they are not? And the baby......what if something happened to it? He rubs a hand over his face, taking a couple of deep breaths and talking himself into staying calm.

Parking the car, he more or less sprints into the emergency room, to the counter, being met by a calm receptionist "yes, can I help you, sir?".

"Yes.....my wife.....I mean, my fiance was in a car wreck....she called.......her baby....our baby.....".

She stops his rambling "sir....her name?".

"Ehh....Lauren.....Lauren Tanner Roberts".

"A moment........ah yes, she is actually up in the maternity ward".

He looks in panic "why? Something wrong?".

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you why....but if she is expecting, they probably put her there to check things out....".

"Her normal doctor......Dr. Daniels.....he practices here".

"That explains a lot......" and she points "just take the elevator up to the second floor, she is in room 212....I'll call and let them know you are on your way".

"Thank you so much" and he goes to the elevator, pushing the button. Nothing happens and he is tripping impatiently, until he finally mutters "fuck this" and goes to the stairs, running up there two steps at a time.

He busts through my door a couple of minutes later, totally out of breaths and he rushes over to my bed, pulling me into his arms, hugging me tight "oh god, love......you ok?". I winch when he touches my right side and he immediately pulls away, concern all over his face "so...sorry.....what's the matter?".

I hold his hand and he leans down to kiss me softly. I smile at him "I'm fine......just a bit bruised from the side airbad and the seatbelt, but no broken bones....our wedding pictures might just not turn out as pretty".

"I don't care about that......doesn't matter, all that matters is that you are ok and so is the baby" and he tenderly places a hand on my stomach.

"Everything seems fine, baby is moving and sounds good, they just want to make sure by doing an ultrasound......thanks for coming so quickly".

"No need to thank me.....you mean everything.....you know that....." and he leans down to kiss me again, pulling me gently into his embrace, careful not to hurt me "I was so worried".

"I know, I'm sorry......".

There is a knock and the door opens. Dr. Daniels comes in, smiling and extending his hand to Richard "he has arrived........good to see you, Rich".

"Good to see you too......thanks for coming". They have met before, Richard has faithfully attended every pre natal appointment he has been home for and been a very active father to be, asking lots of questions and even drilled Dr. Daniels about his credentials when they first met. Dr. Daniels is the one that delivered Emma, so that eased the tension a bit and he passed Richard scrutiny with flying colors.

"Not a problem, I have my shift tonight anyway, so when they called, I came over......should we go have a look at the baby?".

We walk down to the ultrasound room and they get me situated. The technician recognizes Richard, gushing a bit, which makes him embarrassed, but she assures us that this stays in the room, she wont go running off to the press.

Richard holds my hand and she squirts the gel on my stomach and starts to move the wand around. I can feel how tense he is by how he is grabbing my hand. We look at the big monitor at all the different shades of gray, not really being able to make anything real out of it. But then we see it, the perfectly formed head and an arm, moving a little and then a pulsing round thing inside the baby.

Dr. Daniels points to the screen "head looks normal, the brain is forming like it is suppose to....and there is a strong heartbeat.....uterine wall looks nice and intact....." and then he looks at us "want to know what it is?".

We look at each other, Richard is on the brink of tears, deeply moved by seeing his child for the first time, but I know what he wants. I nod "sure, if we can".

The tech moves the wand around on my stomach and we catch a leg and then a tiny foot. More moving around and I am beginning to wonder if they will be able to tell, but then a very clear picture comes into view and I just blurt out "well, I guess he takes after his dad, huh?".

Dr. Daniels and the tech laugh and I look at Richard, who is staring at the screen and then finally croaks "is that what I think it is?".

"Yes, Rich...it's a boy" and Dr. Daniels reaches over, slapping him on the shoulder "congrats.....I know you didn't care the sex of the baby, but I don't think there is any doubt and he looks really healthy, everything looks great".

I look at Richard and can tell he is getting emotional and he sits down, reaching for my hand, his voice breaking "we are having a boy".

Embracing, I cup his face "yes we are.......Elliott will be ecstatic".

He looks at me, his forehead wrinkled "and Emma?".

"She will be happy too.....might be disappointed at first, she wanted a sister, but once she realize that makes her the forever princess of the house.....I don't think she will mind".

Chuckling, he kisses my hand "I think you are right".

The technician cleans me up and we talk to Dr. Daniels for a few minutes before he releases me to go home. 

Richard is holding my hand as we walk out, we both stop when we get swarmed by several paparazzi photographers as we exit the hospital.

"Lauren! Richard! What happened? Look over here? Comments please? How is the baby? When is the baby due?".

He pulls me back inside, his nostrils flaring and his temper rising "bloody hell! How did they know?".

I look out, knowing they wont follow us in here and then at him "what did Liz say after you left to the press?".

"I don't know......I called you and we have been busy with this......" and he reaches for his phone "let me find out". Following him over to the corner of the lobby, so he can talk a bit in private, I listen as he talks "it's me....yeah, everything is fine.....she is fine....." and he looks at me, beaming "it's a boy.....yes......no doubt" and I arch an eyebrow at him. He gives me a cheeky grin before turning serious again "listen.......what did you tell the press after I left?", a pause while he listens, his fist clenching and I reach for it "I see.....well maybe you should have come up with some flat out lie.....the damn paparazzi ambushed us when we were trying to leave.....yeah......no, I'll figure it out.....and I will have to release another fucking statement". He runs his hand through his hair, sounding frustrated "moving to the goddamn north pole sounds appealing....they better not sniff out our wedding....I'll call you when we are back home......" and he hangs up.

"She said I was in an accident, didn't she?".

"Yeah...afraid so......Liz is great, but sometimes a little too damn honest".

"I know, Rich.....it will be ok.......".

"Well, we need to get you home, without them following us...." and he takes my hand, leading me over to the desk, asking to talk to the guy in charge of security.

After some back and forth, we are taken around and driven out of their emergency tunnel in an unmarked car, passing the waiting vultures and we arrange for my father to pick us up at BBC.

We finally get home, the kids come running, talking over each other "Mum! Mummy! You ok? What happened?".

Making it into the living room, my mom comes out to hug me "oh honey! You ok?". 

I nod, still trying to hold on to the kids, who are clinging to me. Richard reaches for Emma, scooping her up into his arms "come here, pumpkin.....give your mum a little room".

We all sit down, Elliott sitting next to me and Emma wrapped around Richard as he sits down, reaching for my hand. My parents sit down opposite us.

Looking at the kids, I smile "everything is fine......sorry to scare you.........someone hit my car as I was going into work".

"Who and why?", Elliott pipes up.

"Some bloke......don't know why, but the police think he might have been drunk".

Emma tugs on my arm "is he in prison?".

"I don't know, sweetie......the police is taking care of it.....don't worry about it.....the most important thing is that I am ok, and so is the baby". Reaching for my purse, I pull out an envelope, holding it up "Rich and i got to see the baby today.....everything looks fine.....".

My mom smiles "did you find out what it is?".

The kids look at me, their eyes big and Emma is getting excited "did you?".

"We did......Rich?".

He clears his throat "want to know?". They both nod eagerly and he continues "it is a boy......you get to have a baby brother".

Elliott lifts his hand in triumph "YES!" and Emma pouts against Richard "ohh no......I wanted a sister".

"I know you did, pumpkin, but we don't have any control over that......we are blessed with what your mum is having and we need to be thankful he is healthy and growing like he is suppose to" and he looks at Emma "besides.......this way, you will always be the princess in the house".

She thinks about that for a minute and then gives him a big grin "okay...." and she reaches over to hug me "I'm excited, mummy.....so what will we name him?".

"We don't know yet, sweetie......mum and Rich haven't talked about it yet".

My parents have gotten up to come over and hug us, my dad looks at me, his eyes misty "congratulations, honey.....".

"Thanks, dad".

We sit and visit for a while, looking at the ultrasound pictures before it is time to find something to eat for dinner. My brother ends up bringing some takeout and we enjoy that with him and his wife.

Finally everyone leaves and we get the kids tucked in bed for the night. I clean up the kitchen and Richard retrieves to his office to rehearse lines and read a little, but when I check my phone, I see that is not all he has been doing. He tweeted out a typed statement: "To squash potential rumors, I can confirm that Lauren was in a car accident this afternoon while I was doing press for my upcoming play, that is the reason I had to leave abruptly. Everything is fine, she is thankfully ok and so is the little one she is carrying. Please continue to respect our privacy. Thank you! XO, Rich".

I makes my way down to his office, bringing him a cup of tea and a cookie. He is sitting on the couch and smiles when I come in "hi love".

""Hi Rich......nice statement.....sad you have to do it".

He takes the cup "thank you.....and yeah, but maybe it is better they hear it from the horse's mouth than the tabloids or something, you know.....".

I sit down next to him, leaning over to kiss him "you are probably right...".

"How are you feeling?".

"I'm fine......I imagine I will be sore tomorrow, but it could have been so much worse".

Richard shutters and pulls me in for a hug and another kiss "I know.....looking at the car, you are lucky.....you could both have died" and he places his hand on my stomach "I'm so grateful you are both ok".

"Me too, Rich" and I lean on his shoulder.

"So what are we going to name him?" and he looks at me.

"I don't know......any ideas?".

"No, not really.....but maybe something with E, so he doesn't feel different from the other kids".

"We don't have to, Rich......it was just something that sort of happened because we liked those two names, to be hones......it wasn't really on purpose".

"Well, lets think about it, but I think it is important we don't make him any different than the others" and he looks concerned.

I reach for his hand and cup his face "did something happen that made you all of a sudden think about that?".

He sighs, running his hand over his face and then looks me in the eye "when I was reading to Emma tonight, she seemed bothered, like you could tell something was on her mind and I finally asked her........she paused and I had to coax it out of her, but she is worried I will love the baby more than her, since he is part of me and she is not....." and he snorts "I guess we picked a hell of a time to start talking to her about sex".

"Well, once the pregnancy was revealed, she just had lots of questions about how the baby go there etc....". I watch all our fingers lace together "so what did you tell her?".

Deep breath "I..I might have scared her a bit...." and he looks down and then back at me "I go quite emotional about it and told her that I love her just as she was my own, that it doesn't matter that she is not part of me......I am just blessed to be her dad" and his eyes well up with tears again.

I scoot closer, pulling him into my arms and then wiping the tears "ohhh, Rich......".

He sniffles "sorry......I don't know why I am so emotional about it....." and he thinks for a minute "I think I finally realized I am their dad now and that is both amazing and overwhelming".

"I understand....and I am deeply grateful to you, for loving all of us, not just me".

"Well, that was one of the first things you told me when we started seeing each other, that is was all of you, not just you....".

Nodding, I smile "I remember that and I was honestly surprised you didn't run out the door".

"You were? Why?".

"Because you are a famous actor and I thought you had a certain woman in mind.......you know......gorgeous, never married, no kids and all that".

He looks at me, cupping my face, saying softly "I didn't and the heart wants what it wants.......".

"I know" and we meet in a tender kiss, exchanging soft words of love before he takes my hand and leads me upstairs, so we can get ready to go to bed.

  


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of this story, enjoy!

 

4 days later:

The doors to the old church open and the music streams through and out, enveloping us as we get ready to walk up the aisle. My dad is proudly standing next to me, his eyes twinkling and he leans over, whispering in my ear "here we go, honey.......waited a long time to do this".

I whisper back "I know".

Elliott turns around, looking handsome in his tux, our eyes meeting and him mouthing "ready?".

Nodding, I motion for him and he walks in, carrying the lace pillow with our rings tied to it in the middle with a fat silk bow.

Emma beams up at me, holding her basket filled with pastel rose petals. Her hair is braided with a couple of roses in white and she is wearing a blush pink dress with a very sparkling belt. She follows her brother, slowly walking into the church, sprinkling the petals as she walks.

I take a deep breath and step in, trying to walk slow and I am overwhelmed by the beauty of the moment and this space. Flowers adorn the church, every pew has a decoration on the end and I look further up, seeing the gorgeous arrangements up by the altar.

Air almost gets knocked out of me and I grip my father's arm tighter when I see him. He takes my breath away. Richard is standing at the altar, his brother by his side, acting as the best man. He is wearing a traditional black tux, clean shaven and a smile forming on his face.

We get closer and I try to smile to people along the way, but I really only have eyes for him. I can see him getting emotional, reaching in his pocket to get a handkerchief out, wiping his eyes, His brother places a supportive hand on his shoulder. He takes a deep breath and our eyes meet, him mouthing "wow".

Elliott gets up there and Richard opens his arms, hugging him tight and then bends down to hug his princess, kissing Emma and telling her how beautiful she looks. They take their places on the opposite side of Richard.

We are almost there and I see how happy my mother looks, her tears flowing freely as we pass her and I have to stop and hug her for a moment. We make it the rest of the way and Richard comes down to meet up, hugging my father before he gently places my hand in Richard's, who leans down to kiss me on the cheek, his voice thick with emotion "you look stunning, love".

Together we walk up to the altar, standing in front of the Reverend, an old friend of the Armitage family.

We are about to exchange vows, when there is a commotion and my mom comes walking up and silently begins to just straighten out my dress. It is made of fat satin with capped sleeves and a very delicate neckline. It is fitted on the top, but then falls stunningly into the skirt, softening my growing baby bump, only Ellen's many years of seamstress experience could create such a simple, yet very elegant gown. The back has an elegant, folded satin rose on my lower back. It is just the perfect size, not too big or too small. My hair is up in a loose hairdo with a lace edged veil attached at the bottom, a couple of roses pinned to it.

There is total silence in the church as my mom finishes her job, making sure every line and fold lays just right, the small train straight and my veil draped beautifully over it. She reaches for my bouquet of pastel colored roses, in the shape of a heart and I smile at her through tears as I hand it to her. She makes her way back down to sit with my dad.

I take both Richard's hands in mine and face him, feeling his fingers slightly trembling as we exchange our traditional vows with each other, pledging to love, honor and cherish each other until death do us part. We both have to stop a couple of times to wipe tears of happiness and Richard looks at me through tears as I slide the simple gold band on his finger and his hand is shaking as he puts my emerald cut band back on my ring finger. I opted not to have another wedding band, my diamond encrusted engagement ring is enough, so we just had our wedding date and his initials engraved inside of it.

"With the power invested in my by the Church of England, I pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss your bride, Mr. Armitage".

He beams and then leans over, giving me a very delicate kiss, touching his lips softly to mine. We break and then he cups my face with both hands and kisses me again, this time a little deeper.

The crowd erupts in cheers and the Reverend smiles, lifting his arms "it is my great honor to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Armitage".

Elliott and Emma surround us and we embrace them both, hugging them and telling them how much we love them. 

The wedding march starts to play and our fingers lace together as we get ready to walk out of the church. Emma grabs Richard's other hand and Elliott mine, taking my bouquet from my mom as we pass and we walk down the aisle as a family to loud applauds from those gathered.

We get outside and just hug each other, all of us and then Richard cups my face, kissing me again "I love you so much and you look absolutely gorgeous......that dress.......wow" and he steps back to admire it.

There are shouts and commotion down by the gate leading into the the church and we realize with dread, that a least a few photographers have gathered. 

Richard looks at me, his irritation apparent "shit.......can't they just leave us alone........if I ever find out who let it slip".

I grab his hand "let it go......you will never find out......it could be anyone between, the tent people, the hotel, the catering, the florist....you name it.........lets go down there, let them take a few pictures and answer their questions and then kindly ask them to let us celebrate in peace'.

He looks skeptical "you sure?".

"It is worth a shot......rather that than have them try to follow us and access your parents house or bothering our guests".

"Okay......but lets greet our guests first...".

We spend the next little while standing outside, receiving congratulations from our family and close friends. It is a a very special day for us and we are grateful to share it with so many of them.

Richard's parents are beaming and my parents look so happy. We embrace Luke's parents with Emma and Elliott, his mom whispering in my ear "ohh Lauren......this is so wonderful and just what he would have wanted for you".

"I know".

Our guests are slowly making their way to their cars to drive to the dinner. Emma and Elliott go with my parents, while Richard and I walk hand in hand down to the gate to the waiting pack of press.

Richard greets them "hi there......I don't know how you found out and that is sort of beyond the point now, but we will stand here for a few minutes, let you take our picture and then very kindly ask that you respect our right to a private celebration with our loved ones.......".

We pose and it feels nice not to have to fake our sheer happiness. We answer a few questions about my dress, the flowers and our wedding, but deflect any questions about the baby and when it is due.

After 10 minutes, Richard thanks them for coming and I can tell that the gesture likely has paid off, they seem genuinely happy we made the effort to come chat and let them get their picture.

Walking back, Richard looks at me "thank you....that was brilliant".

Squeezing his hand, I smile "well, lets hope it worked and we don't find any paparazzi in your parents hedge later.

We make it to the parking and both start to laugh when we see Richard's car. It is decorated with shaving creme and a couple of tin cans tied to the back of it. Likely courtesy of his brother and mine.

He helps me in, careful not to catch my dress in the door and we drive towards his childhood home. I rest my hand on his thigh and he reaches down to take it with his, our fingers intertwining together. He glances quickly at me and I lean over to kiss his cheek, resting my head on his shoulder.

Richard pushes his face against mine for a moment, "it was lovely, Lauren....".

"Yes, it was.....wonderful to see all our family and close friends to share this day with us".

We arrive at his parents home and he helps me out, handing me the bouquet and taking my hand, leading me to the backyard and the big tent. Everyone is already in there, mingling and enjoying a glass and some tasty hors d oeuvres. They break into applauds as we enter and we go around to greet the ones we missed at the church.

I take a moment to look around and is blown away. The round tables are decorated with crisp white linens and beautiful flower arrangements in the middle of each. A long table is set up a one end with a very big buffet with a lot of our favorite dishes and next to it, is a bar, stocked with wine and beer, soda for the kids.

Richard bangs on a glass, clearing his throat and welcoming everyone, thanking them for being part of our big day. 

We spend the next several hours just enjoying our guests and the amazing food. We really wanted people to visit and mingle. 

As darkness fall, hanging lights and lanterns are lid outside and in the ceiling of the tent, creating a magical feeling. The buffet table is cleared and things moved around a bit, to make a dance floor. The other end is set up with desserts and fruit, among them, some pies my mom baked right when she got here.

The DJ turns up the music and Richard leads me onto the dance floor, so we can share our first dance as husband and wife. Everything else melts away as he leads me across the floor, he is the only thing I am aware of. The last notes stream out and he pulls me in for a deep kiss and the tent cheers and the dancing can really begin.

Everyone is having a great time. I get to dance with my dad and I can almost hear a united sigh then Richard twirls Emma around out there, while she giggles loudly in pure delight.

Time passes quickly and people are slowly trickling out. My parents take Emma and Elliott home and I quietly go over to Luke's parents to hand them my bouquet, asking them to place it on his grave on the way home. We have talked about it before, but it doesn't really hit me until I hand it to his mother, our eyes meeting and she just embraces me. His dad has tears in his eyes too when he hugs Richard.

We mingle for a little bit longer. I stifle a yawn, and my feet are killing me. Richard leans close, whispering in my ear "lets get out of here". We are soon on our way back to the discreet but up scale hotel in town. 

Entering the suite where I got ready, I plop down on the couch, lifting up my dress, trying to get to my shoes. Richard sheds his tux jacket and takes off his bow tie, tossing them on a chair. He kneels by me "here, love...let me help you.....that belly is getting in the way".

"I know....thanks, my feet are hurting so bad".

He unties the ankle laces on the white lace pumps, quickly removing them from my feet "maybe you should have worn slippers, love....I'm sorry".

"It's ok....ohhh, that feels so nice.....now the dress....".

He stands up, holding out his hand with a smirk "I can help with that too.....", but then he holds up a finger "hold on one second, my love....let me get the big tub running, a bath sounds nice, it might help your feet too, huh?".

"Sounds heavenly" and he leaves for the bathroom. I go find the hanger and garment bag for my dress, looking in the mirror in the corner as I carefully unpin my veil, taking it off and shaking out my hair. I remove the pearl earrings I wore and the beautiful strand of South Sea pearls-a gift from Richard he sent over this morning. They are stunning and he had worked with Ellen to get them to match my dress. 

Richard comes back out, having lost his shirt, shoes and socks in the process, his hairy chest on full display. I walk over to him, kissing him and running my hands over his shoulders and arms, before I turn around "please?".

I point him to the hidden zipper and he carefully pulls it down, so I can step out of the dress. I take it from him and walk over to hang it back up on the closet door, letting it air out a bit. I turn around and he is just staring, I smile "what?".

He comes over, hugging me from behind, his warm body against mine and he kisses my neck and shoulder "you look beautiful and I love your lingerie....it is very pretty".

Turning my head so we can kiss properly I hum "well, you better enjoy it now.....in a few months it will be granny panties and nursing bras, it wont be sexy, I promise".

"I'm sure it will be fine...." and he leads me in the bathroom where we tenderly finish undressing each other. We kiss again as I undo he pants, pulling them down along with his underwear. I lightly trace the hair under his belly button, down to his half hard cock, moving my fingers over his sensitive flesh. He moans into my mouth and then unhooks my bra and pulls my panties off.

He throws in some lavender bath oil and then holds my hand, so I can step in the big tub. He follows suit and we sit down, both sighing in pure bliss as I am leaning against him, his legs on either side of me and his hand on my stomach. 

We just sit there for a while, not saying much, but just being in the moment. The baby moves a couple of times and he chuckles in delight "hello little one......" and shifts his hand so he can feel it again. I yawn against him and he kisses my neck "tired, love?".

"Mmmm.....yeah....it was a long but beautiful day.......".

Nibbling on my earlobe, he nuzzles me "lets go to bed then....I'm tired too".

Turning halfway around, I kiss him on the lips "well, shouldn't we....you know....consummate this marriage?".

Our lips meet again in a lazy kiss and he looks at me, touching my chin with his hand "we don't need to do anything......we have tomorrow......I think we are both exhausted", he wiggles his eyebrow "besides, morning sex seems to be a favorite".

We get out and he hands me a towel to dry off. We get ready for bed and are soon snuggle together under the covers, still both naked. We exchange a few more kisses and I study his handsome face, looking into his piercing blue eyes "I love you, Rich.......".

"I love you more, Lauren......today was everything I could have ever hoped for and more".

Settling in, I turn on my side and he snuggles up next to be, one arm draped over me and we are soon fast asleep. 

 

I slowly wake up and stretch a little. I smile when I hear snoring next to me. Sitting up, I look over and Richard is on his back and out cold. The covers are down around his waist, his hand is resting on his lower stomach. The sparkling new ring on his finger catches my eye and all the wonderful memories from yesterday come flooding back.

The baby kicks my bladder and I make a quick trip to the bathroom. I brush my teeth and run a brush through my hair before trotting back in the bedroom. I crawl back in bed and snuggle up to Richard, kissing his lips and running my hand over his chest, circling his nipples with my fingers. He lets out a grunt. I move my hand lower, running it over his stomach and touching his hand resting there.

He surprises me when he grabs it with his and shoves it down, without opening his eyes and I smirk, licking his ear, whispering in his ear "tell me what you want......." and I move the sheets off him, exposing his morning erection.

Turning his head, his lips finds mine, his eyes are still closed, but he mumbles into my mouth "please, love.....touch me.....".

"I can do that" and desire and lust overwhelms me as I close my hand around him, feeling his warm, pulsing flesh under my palm.

"Ughhh yeah, just like that....more....please...." and he arches up, desperately wanting more stimulation.

We exchange some heated kisses while I continue to slide my hand up and down his hard shaft, making sure to brush over his tip every time and pulling his foreskin back, exposing his swollen head. My fingers are soon slick with precum and I pick up the pace, tightening my grip and twisting my hand. 

He is a withering mess and I see him gripping the sheets with one hand and having a rather firm hold on me with his other hand. We are still kissing, but his breathing is becoming ragged and I can tell he is getting close. A few more strokes and he pulls away, panting, opening his eyes, blown dark with need "I want to come inside you, please?" and he looks at me.

I kiss him and smile, reaching for his cock again "I wont object to that...".

Capturing my lips in a wet and hungry kiss, he shifts, so he is closer and looking down at me, running his hand over my body, he traces my breasts with his index finger, drawing circles around my nipples until they are peaked. He looks at me as my eyes flutter shut from the pleasure and I moan out when he licks each one of them, lightly suckling, wrapping his tongue around my entire areola on each. It goes straight to my very core and they are even more sensitive now. 

"Ohhhhh, Rich.....please" and I just automatically spread my legs for him, desperately wanting his touch.

I feel his cock twitch against my thigh and he lets out an aroused groan when he slides his hand up my thigh, to my every core, feeling how wet and slick I am "fuck.....".

Grabbing his face, I chase his tongue back in his mouth and we devour each other until our lungs are screaming for air as he continues to finger me. He brushes over my clit, rubbing it and I beg him "I need you now....".

"How do you want this? What's most comfortable for you right now, love?".

I roll on my side, my back to him and he gets the hint, moving closer as I lift my leg. He fumbles a bit, but I finally feel the thick head of his cock at my entrance as he slowly enters me. It always feels so good and I bite my lower lip, letting out a low moan when he penetrates me to the hilt "ohhh god...".

He leans over as I rolls slightly back, so our lips can meet "you ok?".

"Oh very much so, but please move...".

Grasping onto my leg, he withdraws a bit before plunging back in, both of us moaning and groaning from the pure pleasure and he soon sets a steady rhythm with his hip, fucking me from behind in long, even strokes. He kisses me again before reaching up to touch my breast and then he moves he hand down to my leg again, letting it rest on his lower arm and he is able to snake his fingers around to touch me where I need it most. He long fingers stroke my delicate flesh, petting me in rhythm with his thrusting.

He presses his thumb against my clit and I cry out "fuck...right there, Rich....please don't stop....ohhhh".

"I wont, love....fuck this is good....ohhhhh......close.......".

"Harder...more....ohhh...ohhhhhhh.....Riiicccccchhhhh........ohhhhhh" and I climax, my walls pulsing around him as my orgasm washed over me.

"Ohhh yeah....just like that.....ohhhhh" and he thrusts deep and hard, coming with a groan "fuck, fuck.......ughhhhhh", emptying everything he has deep inside me. He wraps me in his arms, his chest heaving against my back and puffs in my ear "bloody hell".

I let out a laugh and our lips meet in a soft kiss "I agree....".

"You ok? Was I too rough?".

"Never....I was begging you to fuck me hard....".

Nuzzling my neck, he nibs at my ear "perhaps, but still...".

"It was hot as fuck, Rich.....relax".

He does and then grins at me, carefully withdrawing and turning me all the way on my back, so I'm comfortable "I guess we can say our marriage is consummated now, huh?".

"You dork" and I playfully hit his arm. 

He laughs before giving me a quick kiss, then he makes a run for the bathroom, grabbing a towel to clean up the mess from our lovemaking. He tosses the towel in the general direction of the bathroom and then turns his attention back to me, laying down next to me and pulling the sheets over us. 

I sigh in contentment and we snuggle for a while, not saying much, but just enjoying each others closeness.

We decide to order breakfast in bed and then take our time to shower and get ready for the day. It is noon when we finally check out and start to drive towards London, after a quick stop at his folks, to thank them for hosting the wedding. The tent is already gone and a landscaper is in full swing, making sure their yard is left as it was before.

Driving home, we stop at a little inn for some afternoon lunch and then make it to our house, finding Emma and Elliott with my parents. We unpack and visit with everyone and my mom prepares dinner and then it is soon bedtime for the kids.

We fall exhausted into bed that night. Richard falls asleep almost right away, but I lay awake for a bit, just trying to process it all. Nothing has changed other than we had a big party and my last time, we still live in the same house and all that, yet it feels different, in a good way.

I reach for my phone and smile when I see Richard tweeted tonight, it is a black and white picture of our hands, our rings next to each other and all it says is "it's true....I married the love of my life yesterday" with a heart emojii. I look at him as he sleeps, his hand resting on his chest and I lean over to kiss him. He mumbles and turns over, tugging on my arm and I lay back down so he can spoon me, his arms over my body, his hand resting on my stomach. 

 

4 months later:

I'm standing up along with the rest of the audience, beaming with pride as I watch Richard take his final bow for "the Crucible" with tears in his eyes. He has loved every minute of it, but it has also been exhausting emotionally for him and I have spend several nights just holding him and loving him, after he returned from the theater totally drained.

My pregnancy has gone well and my inability to sleep the last month and a half might have been a blessing. I have been up when he has come home late and we have sat and talked into the wee hours, so he could wind down and finally be able to sleep. 

I have let him sleep in the mornings, except of Mondays when he has insisted on taking the kids to school since his time with them have been limited. He has helped them with homework after school and then we have either eaten early or gone with him to the theater to eat with the cast, then we would say goodnight and I drive them back home, so he could get ready and into character for the play.

Emma has not seen it, we figured it was too adult for her and we finally agreed to letting Elliott watch it, after Richard took the time to sit down and talk to him about it and explain some things. It was emotional to see Elliott watch Richard on stage and he was moved to tears and ran into his stepdad's embrace backstage after. They hugged each other for a long time.

The baby is full term in a week and I feel huge, even though Richard keeps telling me I am beautiful. I rest my hand on my stomach and watch as the cast take their their final bow, my eyes meeting Richard's for a brief moment. I smile at him as they walk off stage and people start filing out of the theater.

A couple of ladies approaches me, one tapping my arm "sorry, but you are Lauren, right? Richard's wife?".

I nod "yeah, that would be me" and I see one security guy come closer from the door to the back.

"It's so nice to meet you....I'm Liz and this is my bestie Rosie.......we just wanted to say hi and congratulations.......you two make a beautiful couple and we are so excited about the baby......he looks so happy, we are long time fans".

"Thank you so much, that is very kind.......we are excited too" and I excuse myself "it was nice to meet you both....I'm sorry, but I gotta catch him before stage door....".

"We will be there" and they walk off.

I make my way in the back and down to his dressing room, I knock quietly "Rich....it's me".

"It's open".

I walk in and he is sitting on the couch, looking totally drained and I can tell he has been crying. I rush over there, plopping down next to him, reaching for him and pulling him in for a hug "ohhh, Rich...".

He holds me for a long time, not saying anything, but just being there in the moment and feeling every emotion. He finally relaxes and breathes into my neck "thank you, love".

"Always" and our lips meet in a tender kiss, which lingers a bit longer.

Letting out a sigh, he pulls a little away "I need to go shower and do stage door one last time......".

"I know.....".

"Are you waiting or driving home?".

"Well, we came in one car this afternoon, remember? The kids are at the Robert's......I'll wait of course".

"That's right, I forgot....".

He gets up and takes a quick shower, throwing on some jeans and a t-shirt and a Belstaff, it is cold outside these nights. When he first started the play it wasn't as cold.

I look around his dressing room, several bouquets of flowers with cards are sitting in various places since today was the last performance. We will come clean it out tomorrow after he has gotten some sleep.

We walk down the stairs with security and I get a glimpse of the outside and it looks totally nuts. There are lots of people out there since they know this is the last night. He kisses me quickly "I'll be fast".

"Take your time, but please be safe" and I sit down on the couch .

Screams and squeals can be heard as he walks out and I see the two security people motioning for people to move back to give Richard space and try to keep it under control. I can see a little bit and it looks crazy and I get a bit worried. 

10 more minutes go by and then the doors swing open and security more or less yanks Richard back inside. He looks at both of them, I can tell he is shaken "thank you....that was intense....I think we better stop".

They nod in agreement and hurry to go over and lock the door, standing by it as several people bang on it and scream for Richard.

He comes over and I struggle to stand up, so he rushes over to give me a hand. I get on my feet and then feel something shift inside of me and a rush of warm fluid down my leg. My eyes go big and I grip his arm tight.

"What, Lauren? What happened.......you ok?" and he sounds worried.

"Ehhh..." and I lean close to him "I think my water just broke".

Richard goes into total panic mode, looking around and motioning to one of the stage managers "Lauren's water just broke, we need an ambulance right now!" and he turns back to me "bloody hell, what do we do? Need to lay down?" and he fumbles for his phone.

I reach for his face, saying calmly "Rich....it's fine....relax.....don't call the ambulance......just help me to the car and we can drive to the hospital, it is not that far from here......".

"You sure? I don't want to deliver the baby in the car....".

"It's fine.....lets just go....".

"Ok...." and he supports me as we walk towards the back and Richard gets the stage manager to round up a couple of towels. They get me in the car and Richard jumps in and starts the rush towards the hospital. 

I call Dr. Daniels on his private cell and he assures us he will meet us there, then I call the Robert's residence, to let them know to keep the kids until they hear from us tomorrow. Luke's mom wishes me luck and sounds so excited.

Richard glances at me "you ok? Any contractions?".

"A few, but they are faint, which is good...." and I reach for his arm "it will be fine....but it will have to be sort of rushed when we get there, so don't panic, they know what they are doing".

"Okay..." and he looks nervous "I just thought we were scheduled next week....".

"Well, we were, but I guess our son has other plans.....".

We get there and he pulls into the Emergency Room parking area and helps me out. I called them and they are expecting us. A nurse shows us the way, taking us up to a room and handing me a gown to put on.

I get situated on the bed and the nurse comes back in to take my vitals and Richard sheds his coat. He moves the chair next to my bed, reaching for my hand "you ok?".

"Yeah...I'm fine......I can't believe we will see him soon......".

Kissing my hand, he smiles "I know......it seems unreal".

Dr. Daniels arrives and they prep me for the c-section. Richard holds my hand, but looks away as they give me the epidural. They hand him scrubs to put on and a cap before they wheel me down to the OR.

I can tell Richard is getting nervous, he fiddles with his phone, making sure it is ready to take pictures. I feel bad since he bought a new fancy camera he was going to bring to capture this moment, but it is sitting at home in his office.

The room is buzzing as they get everything ready and they finally put the guard up. Richard is sitting by my head, his hand in mine.

Dr. Daniels talks to us as he starts "ok.....just a minute or two and you get to meet your baby boy......doing ok, Lauren? Let me know if you feel anything other than some pulling".

We can hear him work and then he announces "ok, Rich.....stand up so you can see him being born...." and he speaks to one of the nurses "please get Lauren ready to hold him.....".

Richard gets up, still holding my hand firmly and he squeezes it as I hear the first cry from our son "WAAHHHHh.........WAHHHHHH".

The drape gets lowered and the nurse quickly opens my gown and Dr. Daniels places the baby on my chest "we have a big boy.......congratultaions".

I lift my arm up to hold him, trying to look down at him, which is hard since I am flat on my back, but I can see he has lots of darker hair and he has a good set of lungs.

"Shhhhhh, it's ok........we got you". Looking up at Richard, I can tell he is a blabbling mess as he tries to take a few pictures. Tears are streaming down his face and he does nothing to hide it. He looks at me and bends down to kiss my forehead and I try to wipe a tear from his cheek with the hand not holding the baby "ohhh, Rich".

He is still too emotional to speak, but he just nods and then reaches over to gently touch his son, his voice cracking "welcome, little one.......it's ok....your mum and dad are here".

We just stare at him for a few minutes, both falling totally in love with this new little person. He cries a little, but then starts to root...squirming around.

Richard gets worried "is he ok?".

The nurse who has been watching, chuckles "he is fine...more than fine actually.....I think he is looking for food, which is wonderful since he is just a few minutes old".

I gently steer him towards his goal and he latches on right away, suckling happily and strong.

Reaching for the chair, Richard sits down so he can just watch him and he touches his hair "look at that..." and then he exclaims "his eyes are open....I thought the books said they might not open their eyes for a while".

The nurse looks over "most babies don't, but a few of them will be very alert right after they are born for a little bit.....looks like your son is one of those".

The baby gets a little more food before the nurse asks Richard to lift him, once he is done nursing, and bring him over to get cleaned up, weighed and measured. 

Richard looks awkward and nervous when he reaches for him, his hands looking enormous, but the nurse reassures him "it's ok, they are not as fragile as they seem, trust me".

Lifting the baby up, he squeaks a little and Richard quickly carries him over to the corner. Another nurse wipes my chest with a warm rag. It feels nice and I close my eyes for a moment, I feel tired all of a sudden.

I yawn, but then turn my head to try to see Richard and I can see him very carefully bathing our son with the kind instructions from the nurse. He is then given the honor of cutting the umbilical cord shorter, so they can clamp it off with a plastic tie.

The nurse lifts the baby onto the scale, announcing "4020gr. and he is 51 cm long......he is a big, healthy boy".

Richard beams and then he gets to put the first tiny diaper on him and they wrap him in a blanket. Richard picks him back up and brings him over, sitting down next to me, holding him. He looks at me with so much love, whispering "he is precious.......thank you, love".

"Your welcome, but I think you helped too".

He grins "I guess" and we admirer our son some more, who has now fallen asleep. 

I get Richard's phone and take a few pictures.

Dr. Daniels and his team are finally done putting me back together and they wheel me back in my room. I feel exhausted.

The baby is put in the bassinet and they bring in an actually extra bed for Richard to sleep on for the night. We get settled and then pretty much pass out for a few hours, exhausted from a very emotional and long day.

The next morning:

I get a few hours of sleep before the nurse comes in to check on me and she brings me the baby so he can nurse. Richard is snoring, totally wiped out and I just let him sleep.

The sun is slowing coming up a little while later and Richard finally stirs and sits up, his hair a bit messy. He rubs his eyes and looks at me "morning".

"Morning, Rich......get some rest?".

"I slept like a rock" and he gets up, walking closer, getting a soft look on his face as he stares at his son "you should have woken me up, love".

"It was fine....you needed it and he is good, I have never had a baby that is as easy to feed as he seems to be.....".

"Can I?" and he reaches for him.

"Sure, he is all done and asleep again".

Richard holds him for a while before putting him back in the bassinet and go to use the restroom.

Coming back out, we look at the menu for breakfast, but Richard decides on just coffee and I have to wait until Dr, Daniels comes.

He visits us a little bit later, admiring the baby and then he looks at us both "as you know, I did a full tubal ligation yesterday, after the c-section....as we had discussed before", we both nod as he continues "it went well and I don't think you can get pregnant ever again, but just so you know" and he motions towards the crib "I don't know how you got pregnant this time.......he is a miracle.....I looked a the fallopian tubes where the clamps were and they looked pretty much destroyed.....there is no way an egg or any sperm should have gotten through there, but somehow it did.......just wanted you to know".

We look at each other and I smile "well, I guess he really was meant to be, huh?".

I am allowed to eat a little bit and then comes the dreaded first walk out of bed. Richard supports me and I manage to walk up and down the hall one time. It feels like a major accomplishment.

After being assured 50 times that we will be fine, Richard goes home for a bit, to take a shower and then go get Emma and Elliott, so they can meet their new brother. I feed him again and then take a nap before starting to call or text the people that need to know. We did Skype my parents after he was born for a few minutes, but I sent them a few more pictures. Richard called his parents this morning.

I check my email and see I got lots of notifications from Twitter and Instagram. I open Instagram and Richard has posted a picture in black and white of him holding the baby and the caption "A perfect ending to a long day......presenting Ethan Crispin Armitage, born in the wee hours this morning, weighing 4020gr. and measuring 51cm. Mom and baby are doing well and I feel so incredible blessed".

Looking over at Ethan, I smile. The kids actually picked his name. Once we knew it was a boy, we had many discussions, and they both suggested it and Richard and I liked it too.

Richard calls to let me know they are on their way and soon the kids burst through the door, eager to meet their sibling. I raise my bed, so I can sit up and hug them both "ohh, it is good to see you both".

"Good to see you too, mum" and Elliott looks at me "are you in pain?".

" I'm fine, just a little sore....".

Emma is scanning the room and her eyes go big once she spots the bassinet on the other side of my bed. She whispers "is it?".

I smile at her "yes, you can go look and you can even hold him once Dad gets in".

Richard enters, carrying a large bouquet of mixed flowers and he leans down to kiss me "for you, love".

"Thank you, they are beautiful".

He puts them over by the window and then we both watch as Emma and Elliott go over to look at Ethan. Elliott looks at us "he is so tiny".

Emma reaches in to touch his head "look at all his hair".

Elliott grabs her hand "don't touch him! You need to wash your hands first".

She sticks her tongue out at him and it could get ugly, but Richard steps in "it's alright.....you can touch him, Emma, but yes, you should wash your hands and you should also not stick your tongue out at your brother.....".

"He started it....he is not the boss of me".

"I was just telling you".

I sigh "hey....both of you, please be nice.......go wash your hands if you want to hold Ethan.....Richard will bring him to you on the couch".

They both do and then they each get a turn holding him. He squirms a little and yawns, which makes them both giggle.

Emma looks at me, beaming "he is so cute".

"Yes he is......we are very lucky",

They stay for a while and Richard's parents come to meet their new grandchild and then Luke's parents come to see him. They take the kids so Richard can sleep here at the hospital. My parents are already on their way to see us.

Richard rocks Ethan after he is done eating, changes his diaper and then puts him back in the crib once he is asleep. He stands over him for a while, just staring, watching him sleep and I watch Richard being totally in love with his son.

 

3 weeks later:

It is very early Christmas morning and I'm already up and so is Richard. He is currently burping little Ethan after his morning meal. We have enjoyed being home together, finishing getting ready for Christmas and of course our little boy.

I know Richard was nervous about having a baby, if he would be a good dad etc, but he had nothing to worry about, he is a pro and loves to take care of him. He will get up to bring him to me to feed at night, changing his diaper and then put him back to bed. 

Sitting on the couch in the corner of our room that we sort of turned into a nursery, I watch as he changes Ethan's diaper and then puts him back in his crib, covering him up. Richard walks over to sit down next to me, putting his arm around me and leaning in to kiss me "all asleep......." and he looks at me "Happy Christmas, love".

"Happy Christmas, Rich......" and I lean my head on his shoulder, sighting in contentment.

He kisses the top of my head "so should we get another nap in before the older ones demand to open presents?" and he glances at the clock.

I let my hand wander up his leg and over his chest, cupping his chin "we could or if you feel like......we could get naked?".

"What?" and he lifts an eyebrow "the books say 6 weeks.......I don't want to hurt you, love or cause you any discomfort".

Leaning up to kiss him, I open my mouth and lick his lips, and he captures mine in a hungry kiss. I pull away, panting "that's a guideline.....I am not bleeding anymore, my incision feels almost healed and I don't have stitches below......it will be fine.......the longer we wait, the harder it will be.....".

He begins to protest, but then groans into my mouth when I move my hand under his robe, cupping his half hard cock through his underwear "ughhh".

I stand up, holding out my hand "come on.......or I will find a toy to play with myself".

"Like hell you will" and he follows me over to the bed and I shed my clothes except my bra, looking at him "sorry, but being squirted by breast milk ruins the mood..".

He looks skeptical "I thought that was a myth.....".

"For some, maybe.....but I know from experience......trust me.....unless you are not gonna make me cum".

Locking the door to our room, he quickly sheds his clothes and crawls into the bed, pushing me down gently and then kissing me deeply, his tongue wrapping around mine. His warm hand runs up my side and he grabs my face, his voice low "now you know me better than that.....I always aim to please".

And he does, giving me a mind blowing orgasm with his fingers before he plunges deep inside of me, filling me up. He is very careful not to put much of his weight on me while he thrusts deeply, his movements becoming erratic quickly and he comes with a low moan in my ear, his entire body shaking as all the tension is released.

I wrap my arms around him, feeling his sweaty back and he nuzzles my neck and then kisses me deeply. I smile at him "I think you needed that".

"Mmmm...." and he looks at me concerned "was it ok? It didn't hurt, did it?. Lowering his head he mumbles "sorry it didn't last long....I was a bit excited once we got going".

Lifting his chin, our eyes meet "it was perfect, Rich.....I love you".

"I love you too".

He carefully pulls out and then does his best to clean us both up. He lays down next to me again, pulling me close and covering us back up. We doze off again.

KNOCK          KNOCK         KNOCK

"MUM!!!! RI....I MEAN DAD.......it's Christmas, get up!"

Emma's voice startles us both and we sit up with a jump.

Ethan starts to cry over in his crib. We look at each other and get out of bed, handing each other our underwear and I call back to Emma "be right out, sweetie......go down and wake Elliott up".

"He is already up, he made me go knock on your door".

Richard throws on his robe and rushes over to pick up the crying child, He cradles him against his chest, rocking him "shhhhhh, baby....it's ok....daddy is here........shhhhh". He settles down in his father's arms and I tie my robe as we walk out, heading downstairs.

The Christmas tree is twinkling with lights in the family room and Elliott is already sitting on the couch, all ready "Happy Christmas".

I hug him "Happy Christmas".

We all sit down and first open our stockings and then take turns unwrapping presents. Ethan sleeps on the couch between Richard and I, totally unaware of the rest of the family's activities.

Richard gives me a beautiful pair of blue sapphire earrings, they will match the pendant he gifted me right after Ethan was born. I give him a couple of books I know he wanted and a sweater. The kids get toys, books and some clothes.

Things are winding down and I go to turn on the oven for the breakfast casserole we always have Christmas morning and Richard gathers all the wrapping paper, putting it in a sack.

I come back over and motion for Richard to sit back down. 

He is confused "what...why.....aren't we done?".

Picking up Ethan since he is waking up, I tug on Richard's hand "almost.......the kids have one more present".

Emma and Elliott look very serious as they hand him a beautiful wooden box. They stand with anxious faces as he slowly opens it, taking out the papers and then starts to read. He gets a couple of lines down and then he looks at me and then at them, his voice breaking "wh..what? Is this for real?"

Tears well up in his eyes and he just holds out his arms and pulls Emma and Elliott into a tight embrace.

I wipe my eyes, watching them and when they pull away, both Emma and Elliott are teary eyed. Elliott looks at Richard nervously "is it ok?".

Richard sniffles and hugs them both again "YES! Of course it is ok.....I'm honored you would want me to adopt you both......that is more than I could ever have a right to ask for".

Emma beams "well, we love you and we want to have the same name as the rest of you.....like Ethan".

I chime in "they are the ones that asked me a while ago, after we talked about Ethan's name.....they both wanted to change theirs" and I take his hand as he reaches for me "and don't worry......the Roberts's are onboard and support it........the kids will change their last names to Roberts Armitage".

Richard wipes his eyes again and then we all embrace, thankful for each other and the precious family that we have.

His voice carries in the mass of tangles arms and heads "I love you all so, so much".

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and sticking with me to the end! I have loved writing this and sad to see it end, but that also means on to new adventures. Next up is "Learning to live again", my attempt to fix Lucas North's life. And John Thornton's "The nurse and the mill owner" is also still a work in progress.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Kudos and comments are always welcome!


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